You're mine!
by fahanizhieliq
Summary: NO LONGER ON HIATUS BUT WILL TAKE TIME. Draco gets a gift from his father. It's not a new broomstick but something else. It's a beautiful, bloody and reluctant girl, who's there against her own will. How will Draco act?
1. Chapter 1

Draco Malfoy enters the grand dining room of Malfoy Manor with his famous smirk on his chiseled face. He looks at the table, where his father, Lucius Malfoy was sitting at the head of the table with the same smirk as his son's. Draco shudders momentarily at the similarity of father and son. Maybe when he was younger, during his first year at Hogwarts, he would have been proud to look and act just like his father but the years had matured him. He was no longer the child who thinks Voldemort is the best thing to ever happen in the wizarding world. Logic had taken over his mind at the end of his fourth year. More precisely, the day of the last task of the Triwizard competition. The day Voldemort came back to life.

That summer after his fourth year was spent with Lucius raving about how Voldemort will rule the world and how the purebloods will reigns over the mudbloods, halfbloods and blood traitors. This had bored Draco before long but the main reason that made Draco decides that he loathes being just like his father was the day Lucius brought Voldemort back to Malfoy Manor. Dinner that day had been a very eventful event with Lucius being Voldemort's lap dog, Narcissa staring at her soup with much interest and Draco himself trying hard not to throw up at the sight of Voldemort's face. Those eyes and the slits that were supposed to be his nose had imprinted themselves in Draco's mind. Voldemort's looks and the way his father and the Death Eaters grovel at his feet had made up Draco's mind. He's never going to be one of the hooded figures that don't seem to have a mind of their own.

"Draco, why don't you take a seat so your father can make his announcement?"

Draco blinked, brought back to the present time by his mother's clear voice. What announcement? There's only the three of them and a bunch of house elves. Seeing the look on his father's face, Draco takes a seat opposite his mother, on the left hand side of his father. The wine glass in front of him starts filling itself with red wine. Draco proceeds to take it but his father's voice cuts him off.

"Don't drink first Draco. I have something to tell you."

Draco looks enquiringly at his mother, curious to know but Narcissa had the same look Draco had on her face. Lucius clears his throat before continuing.

"Draco, the news that you brought home from Hogwarts had proved that you're truly indeed a true Malfoy, just like me,"

Draco strains himself from rolling his eyes in front of his parents. The news. What else should he expected from his father? Draco Malfoy had been given the Head Boy post for his upcoming seventh year alongside Mudblood Granger. The thought of sharing a common room, a bathroom and having their dorms nearby makes Draco seriously consider in turning down the post but the thought of his father's wrath made Draco accept the post.

"As a tradition of the Malfoys, a young man who's going to enter his seventh year will be given a gift from his father. Normally, it would had been a Dark artifacts or a new broomstick,"

Draco smiles at the mention of a new broomstick. Maybe he'll get me the Firebolt 2.0 and I'll surely beat Potter in the next Quiddicth game. His broom will look so antique beside mine and not to mention slower. The happy thoughts evaporate when something his father said jolted Draco back to the conversation.

"Because you had been given the rightful post of Head Boy, you will get something else, much more precious and pleasurable. I, myself had got this before my seventh year, having made the Head Boy can say, Draco, that you will definitely like the gift and will enjoy it enormously."

Across Draco, his mother had given a flinch when his father had said the word 'pleasurable'. Somehow, this gives Draco a clue that his mother had the faintest idea what his gift is.

"Lucius Darling, you can't be serious in giving Draco...urm...his gift"

"Of course I'm serious woman! When have I not been serious?"

"I know Lucius, but I don't think that this tradition should be continued, it is so, what should say, inhumane,"

"It's the right of being a Malfoy. Draco is going to be of age soon and this gift will help him developed himself and-"

Lucius stops talking as someone from the hall knocks loudly on the dining hall's wooden door. Lucius' face breaks into a smirk, "Ah, you see Narcissa. Draco's gift has arrived already. Come in"

Narcissa's face breaks into a scowl but despite his mother's reaction, Draco finds himself looking curiously at the door. The door opens and a house elf walks in, holding a chain in its hands, clearly dragging the burden on the chain's other end. Draco's eyes widen as he saw the burden on the chain's other end.

She stands tall but had an air of defeat. Her dark eyes that cast its own shadow burns with anger but it had the remains of tears. Her muggle clothes were torn at some places but nowhere obscene. Her long black hair had been tied back into a messy ponytail. Draco looks at her face, yet he couldn't see it very well due to the bruises. Her mouth had been gagged by a piece of white cloth but seeing the dry red stains on it, her lips has been bleeding before and the area nearby her cheekbones and her eyes are black and blue and definitely sour.

Draco looks at his father, his own moth had fallen open, wanting him to explain. Lucius however, had taken the look on his son's face as joy,

"Draco, my son. That is your gift. Told you it would be pleasurable," he winks at his son.


	2. Chapter 2

Lucius looks at his son, expecting him to whoop with joy at receiving his gift. Hell, he himself had did it when his father presented him with his gift, a beautiful doe eyed brunette from Romania. But, his own son, his own blood didn't whoop with joy or even showed any sign of happiness. How ungrateful! Instead, the young blonde looks at his father with a look clearly saying what-the-heck!

"Aren't you grateful for your gift? I have spend a lot of money to get her,"

"Lucius! I cannot believe this! You bought her? Against her own will, I presumed?" Narcissa's smooth cover blows without a warning. She stands up and proceeds to leave the dining room. As she passes the bounded girl, she stops for a while, and raises one of her hand slowly. The girl backs away, fear in her eyes. Pity flooded Narcissa as her eyes travels over the bruises on the pretty face. Soothingly, she touches the girl's cheek and whispers in her ear," I'll get something for the bruises and the cut on your lips. Don't worry; I'll make sure my son won't harm you." The fear in her eyes turns into surprised gratitude.

At the door, Narcissa turns around and send her husband a death glare. Years of marriage had given Narcissa some control over her Death Eater husband. Lucius merely sneered as his wife slams the door, an act so unmalfoyish. Lucius turns to his son,

"She's just jealous. She stills remember my gift from your grandfather."

Lucius gets up and strides towards the girl, motioning the house elf to leave, not before removing the gag from her mouth. Moments before, Draco himself had strides to his father as the house elf removes the gag. Up close, he saw that the bruises were worse than he thought. He looks into her eyes and saw fire burning in it.

Her eyes burn with anger as she sized up the two men in front of her. One of them, the older one had tortured countless times ever since that dreadful day a week ago. If only her hands weren't bound to the chain, she would had already jump at the stupid, cruel and demented excuse of a man and strangle him with her own bare hands. She averted her gaze to the other blonde. The bloody son. The reason she's here in this manor, all tied up and bound. He had the same looks with the older one and also the same air of arrogance. Yet, his grey eyes weren't as cold as his father's.

"Let me go!" She spat the moment the piece of bloody cloth had been removed from her mouth.

'Why should I do that? Pray tell me so," Draco didn't miss the coldness in his father's voice.

"This is against the law! What kind of wizard are you to do this to me?" The fire in her eyes intrigued Draco.

"Shut up, mudblood! You should be honored to be in this position! A pureblood-"

"I'd rather be a filthy, lowlife mudblood then be a pureblood like you with this stupid tradition-"

Her sentence stops suddenly as Lucius' hand came in contact with her bruised cheek. Hard. The sound echoed in the vast dining room. If it wasn't for Draco who had rush forward when he saw his father raised his hand once again, the girl would had gotten another red mark on her face.

"Father, I don't think you should stress yourself with this mudblood. I'm grateful for my gift, Father but let me deal with her,"

Before Lucius could say anything, Draco claps his hand twice and a house elf magically (no pun intended) appears in front of him.

"Take my gift to my bedroom in the east wing and stay with her until I get there,"

Draco notices the girl's eyes widen with fear at the mention of bringing her to his bedroom.

The house elf bowed, " Yes, sir," And with another bow, the bound had been put back into her mouth and the house elf takes the end of the chain and brings the 'gift' to the east wing, Draco's private wing where no one can enter without his permission. That is except for his mother. Draco had given her a 24/7 permission to enter the east wing after standing a month of wheedling and threatening from Narcissa that she will just simply fly into her son's bedroom, not caring what's he's doing at that time or whether he's decent or not. The thought of his mother flying into his bedroom while he was doing, ehem, certain business horrified him so much that he finally bowed to his mother's demand.

Draco turns to his father who had a proud look on his face. Pride wasn't something that Lucius Malfoy handed out to his son like Santa would hand out presents to the good children. As a kid, Draco would have been more than happy to make his father proud but as a teenager, he's not thrill in making his father proud by acting like a cold creep with no feelings and emotions, just like Lucius. Draco shudders at the thought of acting like his father, a pathetic excuse for a man.

"Once again, thank you Father for my gift. I'll surely be the envy of the Slytherins," Draco turns slowly, hoping that Lucius won't have a weird desire to have a father to son conversation with him.

"Draco, before you go, I want to remind you to mark her as your own,"

Shit. Mark her? What do you mean by mark her? Do a Voldemort and burn a stupid mark or like one of those stupid animals that pee on the females? (Eew, back out from that thought) Maybe he has to give her a hickey or something, which can be done with pleasure. Didn't Father say that my gift will be pleasurable? Of course, Draco didn't say any of this to Lucius merely thought it in his mind. Instead, he put on a well rehearsed confused but in a polite way look on his face.

"Mark her? I don't understand what you're saying Father."

"To show that she belongs to you, as your property. To do that you have to mark her."

"How?" The confusion in his voice is genuine. How should he know how to mark her? Heck, he only knew of this tradition 15 minutes ago.

"My boy, how more slow can you be? I told you that your gift will be pleasurable. As part of the Malfoy tradition, the gift has to be a virgin," he winks at his son meaningfully. Realization dawned on Draco.

"I understand Father. But I don't think that I can-"

Draco was cut off mid sentence for his father had exited the dining hall without waiting for his son to figure out the meaning in his clue. Draco merely shrugged a sign of used to being treated in that manner. Instead, he himself exited the now empty dining hall and trudges up the stairs to the east wing. To his gift. Portraits of his ancestors lined on the wall all had seen the smirk on Draco's face as he walks along the halls leading to the east wing.

Cold. The first thing that came to her mind as she stands in the middle of the bedroom, bound like an exotic animal waiting to be the main display of a circus. Her eyes took in the king size canopy bed, lined in dark green and silver. The rich carpeting in black, the amount of mirrors and self portraits aligned on the wall. How could someone be so self absorbed with himself? Even in pain, she can't resist rolling her eyes at the portraits, whom all of its occupant had a self satisfied smirk on their faces.

The sound of footsteps tied a tight knot in her stomach. She could feel a lump rising in her throat. The footsteps in front of the door and slowly, in a sinister manner, just like the whole manor, it opens. The son. Dressed in black robes with his platinum blonde locks falling to his face, he looks like an angel. He had the same smirk as his father on his face. He waves a hand towards the awaiting house elf beside her.

"Leave us. I would like to get to know my ' gift' much more better,"

Obediently, the house elf disappears with a crack. He closes the door, the lock clicking and steps closer to her. Closer, closer and closer until their faces were a few inches apart. His grey eyes penetrated her dark brown eyes. Her insides recoiled slightly and she takes a step back. He takes a step closer every time she steps back until; her back met a dead end, the wall. Her eyes widen with fear as the one in front raises a hand and caresses her cheek softly. With an evil smile on his face.

"Relax. I just want to get to know you better,"

(A/N Please review! To anyone who's reading my other story, I'm sorry but it will be put on hold because I'm so absorbed with this story)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and what you don't recognize but if a certain Draco Malfoy is available, please don't hesitate to inform me.

Obediently, the house elf disappears with a crack. He closes the door, the lock clicking and steps closer to her. Closer, closer and closer until their faces were a few inches apart. His grey eyes penetrated her dark brown eyes. Her insides recoiled slightly and she takes a step back. He takes a step closer every time she steps back until; her back met a dead end, the wall. Her eyes widen with fear as the one in front raises a hand and caresses her cheek softly. With an evil smile on his face.

"Relax. I just want to get to know you better,"

She closes her eyes, not wanting to see what he would do to her. Unconsciously she held her breath, unwilling to smell the scent of her captor's son. Laughter came into her ears, his laughter, the reason she's here. Days of eating poorly and being put at the receiving end of the Cruciatus curse every time she dared to disobey had made her weak. The weakness became more apparent to her at the moment. She opens her eyes when the laughter stopped but it fluttered close as her knees weaken and the room became dark, missing the question he had just asked.

Draco's eyes devour every inch of her face and were not surprised to find fear in her eyes. He would be surprised if Lucius hadn't inflicted numerous Dark curses at her and also physically harmed her. The incident at the dining hall had been proof to the reason for the multi bruises on her face. The way she flinched when his hand softly makes contact with her cheek told him that the pain is more than what she had shown through her eyes.

When she closes her eyes, Draco couldn't stop the laughter from tumbling out of his mouth. Heck. He knew that most of the female population of Hogwarts had found his gaze intoxicating but never had he met someone who won't look into his grey eyes. He clears his throat when her eyes reopen.

"What's your name?"

He had expected an answer from her or probably a blow up like the way she had responded to Lucius but definitely didn't expect her to faint. Before she could fall to the floor, Draco's seeker reflexes kick in and he quickly caught her in his arms. He was slightly shocked at the lightness of her body. Trust Lucius not to feed someone torture them and expect them to act like the sun rises from him.

With the girl in his arms, Draco looks around, debating whether to lay her on the sofa or his bed. The sofa may be uncomfortable but it is the much less scandalous option. The bed, however, with its top quality eiderdown and pillows were way more comfortable and the better choice but... if she wakes up with him over her( making sure that she's alright and not doing anything that his father would approved of!) that will probably lead to her misreading the situation.

If any of the house elves had been present at that time, they would have assumed that their young master had lost it. They would have also quickly alerted their mistress of her son's odd behavior. You see, Draco had spent the previous five minutes, standing in the middle of his room with his 'gift' in his arms. Every few moment, he would make a move for the sofa but stops halfway and retreated back to the bed. The same thing will happen when he makes a move to his bed, he will retreat back to his original spot.

If it wasn't for the knock on his door, Draco would have repeated the routine for the rest of the night or until fatigue takes over.

Narcissa Malfoy knocks on her son's door before twisting the knob. She had been to the guest room and found it unoccupied and that had made her feel uneasy. Surely her son won't do anything but being the son of Lucius Malfoy had left some traits in him and most of them were something she's not proud of. Her heart had been thumping against her chest all the way to her son's bedroom. What curse should she use if she finds him doing things she wouldn't approve of?

Narcissa shudders at the thought of Lucius' gift when he was elected as Head Boy. Their seventh year were spent with him boasting about the gift, as he used to refer her, like she's an items and not human! Narcissa had pitied the girl and had a hand in releasing the girl earlier than she was supposed to, which was supposed to be on Lucius' wedding day. Lucius was livid when the girl got released from his grasp a month before his wedding with Narcissa.

"Come in,"

Draco sighs with relief when he saw the blonde woman coming in.

"Mother, she fainted," he continues hastily seeing the look of accusation on his mother's face, "I didn't do anything at all. I was asking what her name is and then she just fainted! I didn't even touch her!"

Okay. That was a tiny white lie. He only touched her cheek and nowhere else lower than that. Not like there was a chance to. Draco put on an innocent look on his face that he knew his mother always bought.

"Put her on your bed. I'm going to heal her. Go and find some clean clothes for her," Narcissa orders.

Draco quickly laid the body in his arms on his bed and steps back, giving way to his mother who had taken out her wand. The fact that his mother is capable in healing bruises and minor injures was well known among the followers of Voldemort. Sometimes, Death Eaters will flock to the Malfoy Manor to be healed after a battle with Aurors, which they, the evil side will always lose.

"Draco, the clothes?"

Narcissa looks over her shoulder, slightly annoyed at her son for not completely following her orders.

"Sure, I'll go get them,"

Draco walks out of his room and closes the door and turns left, towards his dressing room. Yes, Draco Malfoy has his own dressing room, as big as his bedroom. The walls are lined with mirrors that will say, "My, my, someone's looking hot today" and " You should be arrest for being too handsome," whenever Draco gets near one. At the far corner of the room, taking up the whole wall, is his wardrobe, organized according to type of attire and color of course.

He rummages through his clothes, looking for something comfortable and will fit her well. This proved to be a quite hard task because most of his clothes are two sizes too big for her. Okay, how about one of his old clothes, from two years ago or so. After searching fro a few minutes, Draco finally found a pair of black sweatpants and a dark green sweater that he thinks will fit her. Smirking to himself, Draco finds the thought of his 'gift' wearing his old clothes quite amusing.

She opens her eyes and finds a pair of blue eyes looking at her with concern. The woman from the dining hall, the wife to her captor, the only who had shown kindness to her. She tries to sit up but the woman held her down with a hand on her.

"Don't try to get up. You have to lie down and stay in this bed for the rest of the night or the healing charms won't work."

It was only the kindness in Narcissa's voice that made her lie down again on the bed. When she had waked up, she noticed that the pain that she has suffered for days had receded to a dull throb. The next thing she notices was her attire. They were no longer the torn and dirty clothes but a pair of sweatpants and a warm sweater, made from the finest fabric. A movement from the end of the bed told her that the son is standing there, looking at her with a straight face, no expression at all. His grey eyes wander over her entire person, from her face to her toes. It was when a smirk, just like Lucius' appears on his face, did she shiver, not out of cold but fear.

Draco crosses his arms across his chest, looking at the stirring figure in his bed. When she had waked up, she tried to sits up but as usual his mother with her controlling but kind manner had made her lie back down. Draco finds himself unable to stops his eyes from wandering to her face. Before, the bruises on her face had made it hard for him to really see her face but now that his mother had made them disappears, he found himself unwillingly praising his father for his good taste in women. His grey orbs take note of her dark eyes, her high cheekbones, how the tan color of her skin looks well with her raven hair and pinkish lips. Once again he finds himself thinking with a smirk on his face of what his father had said, your gift will be pleasurable.

Narcissa let out a breath of relief when the girl finally woke up after an hour she fainted. Her sharp eyes caught the sudden look of fear and discomfort on her face and instincts told her that it had something to do with her son. She turns around and caught him staring at the bed occupant with a smirk on his angelic face.

"Draco! I thought I told you not to make, urm...what's your name dear?" she looks back at the girl. The girl coughs before answering,

"It's Anya,"

Narcissa turns back to her son with a stern look on her face.

"Not to make Anya feel uncomfortable and it doesn't help if you keep staring at her with that smirk on your face after she's been through a rough bout, thanks to your father."

"I wasn't staring at her! I was just thinking..." Being a Slytherin had taught him to be sly and this had led to a talent of making up excuses, "Where should I sleep tonight if she's in my bed? I'm not going to sleep in the guest room." God. That went well, making himself sounds like a spoiled brat in front of his mother.

'Don't worry. I'll sleep in the guest bedroom," Anya made a move to get up from the bed but Narcissa held her down. Her eyes flash with anger at her son.

"You will stay here Anya. I told you that you have to stay here so the healing charms will work. Draco will simply have to sleep on the sofa,"

"What? I can't sleep on the sofa!" If he was 7 years younger, Draco would had been on the edge of throwing one of his tantrums but now, as future Head Boy and as a Malfoy, Draco will have to sustain to asking questions that will make him look more like a spoilt child by the minute.

"Then you will have to sleep in the guest room then,' Narcissa stands up and gently looks at Anya with a motherly look.

"Just sleep Anya and I'll come and see you tomorrow before breakfast," she continues when she notice the uneasy glance Anya threw towards her son's direction. Narcissa patted her hand. "Don't worry Anya. Draco won't do anything. Won't you, Draco?"

She stressed the last part of her sentence while looking at her son. After hearing her son mumbling a hasty yes, Narcissa left the room, to her own bedroom, to her husband, who she needs some talking to about their son's gift. Honestly, her husband had made lots of stupid decisions but this must be one of the worst. Narcissa shakes her head at her husband's attempt to relive the Malfoy's tradition.

The moment the door shut after Narcissa, Anya rolls over, facing the closed window and quickly falls asleep, oblivious to the other person in the room. Yet, before her eyes admit defeat to sleep she couldn't help worrying about spending the night in the same room with Draco, her owner.

Draco rolls his eyes when he saw the girl sleeping peacefully in bed, his bed in fact. He plops down on the sofa and cushioned his head with a pillow that he had grabbed from his bed while mumbling about how unfair his mother is. Within minutes, he drifted off to his favorite dream, involving catching the snitch before Potter and being voted Hogwarts' hottest guy. By the time, the clock struck twelve; the only sound that could be heard is the slow yet steady breathing of Anya and Draco.

Anya opens her eyes, feeling the early morning sunlight on her face. For a while, she had forgotten where she is but her attention was focus towards the open window (with no doubt a house elf had open) and the sunlight streaming in, showing a beautiful view of the grounds. The peace in her quickly disappears when she notice the strong arm around her waist pulling her closer to its owner. So close, that she could hear the person's breathing.

(A/N Personally, I think this is a not so good chapter because I kind of struggled through it. I woke up this morning and found my inbox with reviews! Goodie! I would like to thank

princess-kristi for reviewing this story as well as my other story

GentleRaven , Rose of the F.I.C., Vannessa Hillstead , Poppycan, zuz, Marauder Angel, russianchikk, mysticallove who all thought this story as intresting and wanted me to continue writing it. Thanks once again!

Oh, yeah, can you please tell me what you think of this chapter, as I said before, I don't really think its good.


	4. Chapter 4

(A/N: First of all, I would to say thank you to my beta, mysticallove for helping me with my past tense thing, oh yeah, and I'm sorry for running a bit late with posting this chapter but the new school is going to start on January the 3rd so there's so many things to do, books to buy, uniforms and stationary. I think I should stop here and present the short 4th chapter.)

Anya opened her eyes to the feeling of early morning sunlight on her face. For a while, she had forgotten where she was. Her attention was focused towards the open window (with no doubt a house elf had open) and the sunlight streaming in, showing a beautiful view of the grounds. However, the peace in her mind quickly disappeared when she noticed the strong arm around her waist pulling her closer to its owner. So close, that she could hear the person breathing.

Narcissa sat on her husband left side, mentally counting the amount of berries in the fruit bowl in front of her while stirring her tea with a teaspoon. Nervously she took a sip from her weak tea and cast a glance at her husband, who was reading that day's Daily Prophet with a small smile on his face, something she rarely saw anymore since the rebirth of Voldemort. But instead of feeling happy at this rare display of joy, alarm bells rang in Narcissa's head.

_Why is he smiling? _Narcissa thought. _The only time he ever smiles is when something happens pertaining to a muggle mass murder or a plan of Voldemort's to once again guarantee evil the winning side._ But something else was bothering Narcissa, the empty seat opposite her, Draco's. _Where is he? He never missed breakfast before, even if he's still sleepy, he would come down with a robe over his clothes and after a quick breakfast he drags himself back to bed. Maybe he went flying and simply has forgotten the time or maybe he's in his dressing room, admiring himself?_ Narcissa wished one of these 'maybes' were true. But Narcissa was dragged out of her thoughts by her husband's voice.

"Where is Draco, Narcissa?"

It was only with an upbringing as a member of one of the wizarding community most respected pureblood family and an 18 year marriage that stopped her from choking and spluttering on her tea. However, she couldn't conceal the 'oh-shit-why-did-he-have-to-ask-that-question' look on her aristocratic face fast enough.

Lucius raised an eyebrow at the restless air around his wife. Ever since he had sat down at the head of the table for breakfast she seemed deep in thought. Little did he know, the empty seat to his right side had been the answer to his wife's peculiar behavior. When the owl had delivered the day's Daily Prophet, Lucius had a smile on his face. _Son, you're making your father proud of you,_ Lucius thought and it had taken a lot of self control to keep his face straight when he saw the look on Narcissa's face after he had asked about Draco. Deciding to be smug, he asked the question once again.

"Didn't you hear me Narcissa? Where is Draco?"

"He probably went to do some flying and has simply forgotten the time,"

Forgotten the time? A Malfoy never forgets the time. It is totally unethical and against Rule No. 46 in the Malfoy Handbook: How to Be a Malfoy (yes, they do have one. Most pureblood families have one of their own) and further more, as a father (not a very good one though) Lucius knew that Draco was a punctual person.

"Really? Are you sure he didn't oversleep due to some late night activities?"

The mortified look on Narcissa's face was too much for Lucius to bear and he let out a laugh but ended it with haste when his wife threw a look of disgust in his direction. He looked at his watch on his left wrist and stood up. Almost immediately a house elf appeared at his feet, bowing so low that its nose almost touched the marble floor.

"Master Malfoy. Lonny has done what you ask me. Master Draco is still asleep in his room but Lonny cannot go in Master Draco's room for Lonny does not has Master's Draco's permission to enter,"

Lucius looked at his wife with a 'see-I-told-you-so' look before dismissing the house elf without a word. Once again, he glanced at his watch before he kissed his wife on her smooth cheek.

"Before I go to ' work' at the Ministry, please tell me why are you petrified at the thought of our son still sleeping in?"

"Nothing. It's just that Draco never missed breakfast before."

"Narcissa, we had been married for 18 years, don't insult me by thinking that I can't read your mind."

"You know I don't approve of you giving Draco his gift." Narcissa said while helping Lucius put on his travel cloak.

"It's a Malfoy tradition and I think, my wife, you're jealous because his gift reminds you of mine," Lucius said with a smirk on his face.

"That's only part of it but this, this tradition is so inhumane! Just like Vold-" Narcissa stopped her flow of words but not before Lucius heard her. Turning to his wife with all evidence of the cheerfulness that had been on his face mere seconds before now gone and replaced with an icy look.

"You've gone too far Narcissa. The only way you should speak of the Dark Lord is with respect. You should be grateful that you're my wife or you would have been severely punish for your rudeness,"

Without waiting for his wife's reaction, Lucius swept out of the dining hall with his black cloak, as black as a Malfoy's heart (his own words) billowing after him. He didn't see the way Narcissa merely laughed softly before exiting the dining hall herself.

"That's where you're wrong; sometimes I wish I was not your wife, Lucius. Sometimes."

Anya took a deep breath, meant to calm herself down. _Relax Anya; it's just a hand around your waist, just a human hand and not a Hippogriff's claw. Take a deep breath and let it go slowly_. She repeated this routine thrice before braving herself to turn around and face the one behind her, the one who had been terrorizing her ever since she woke up.

Narcissa walked down the dark hall of the East Wing, heading towards the cause of her worries, Draco's bedroom. She stopped when a portrait on her left, a blonde woman dressed in the 18th century attire with a haughty look on her face said,

"Why do I sense a mudblood in the Malfoy Manor?"

_Oh Dear Kiara Malfoy. _Kiara Malfoy was an eccentric witch who had thought she had the Inner Eye which without doubt, no member of the Malfoy family had ever had this Inner Eye thing. Narcissa stopped in front of the portrait with a mahogany background. Boy, how she hated this particular Malfoy. But in the good name of a Malfoy, Narcissa politely said,

"The mudblood is a gift from Lucius to Draco for his success in getting the post of Head Boy in Hogwarts."

"Aah, the tradition. I still remember the time my brother got his 'gift' for being Head Boy during his seventh year too. Hated the girl, I did, piece of mudblood filth with no right to even be alive. Don't you agree?" Kiara screwed her face like there was a nasty smell around her.

Narcissa was in two minds. Either agreeing with the deceased Malfoy (the easy way) or by telling her to shut up but if she choose the latter, word would be spread from portrait to portrait and would soon reach her husband's ear. Narcissa opened her mouth while finding something to reply but closed it when Kiara looked at her with an expression saying 'god-she-looks-like-a-goldfish' on her face. However, Narcissa was spared from answering when a blood curdling scream emitted from further down the hall, or more precisely, from Draco's bedroom.

(A/N: I would like to say thanks to everyone that had reviewed and had POLITELY pointed out the past tense problem and also forewarn you that chapters after this would probably be update every few days or so because school's starting. Please review and if you don't like it, please be nice and tell me in a kind way)


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N: Here's the 5th chapter and once again I would like to thank my beta, **mysticallove** for reading it for me. Love you. To **CMHValex, **Draco is neither good nor evil now but I'm going to make him switch personalities once in a while.**** Okay, this chapter will definitely tell you about the scream and the hand around Anya's waist so read on!)**

Narcissa's heart thumped wildly against her chest. She said a hasty goodbye to Kiara Malfoy and without wasting a second, she ran down the hall, towards the source of the scream. Have you ever seen a woman in top quality robes trying to run as fast as she can but in a dignified way? That's how Narcissa looked like as she passed the various portraits of the Malfoy generation down the hall. Towards the bedroom, where its only occupants were a beautiful but weak girl and her son, a teenager with his hormones running crazy.

She didn't even knocked on the door, instead she resorted to barging into her son's bedroom with as much dignity a Malfoy in her situation could produce.( Rule 23 in the Malfoy Handbook; Always act dignified wherever you are). The sight that greeted her had made her speechless. Stepping closer to the canopy bed, she realized that however she looked at the current situation, she couldn't interpret it.

Her eyes darted to Anya, who was sitting on one side of the king sized bed, clutching the covers tightly to herself. The fear in her eyes turned to relief when she saw the blonde entering the room. However, it was the other occupant of the bed that made Narcissa's eyebrows rose.

Hair tousled wildly, the I-just-got-out-of-bed style, a look of bewilderment on his face but it was his attire that made the situation more scandalized than ever. He was wearing only a pair of black boxers **(A/N Sorry, I just can't resist him in black boxers),** revealing a toned and lean naked torso. It took Narcissa awhile before she finally found her voice,

"Anya. What happened? I heard a scream,"

Narcissa didn't miss the, I-don't-trust-you look the girl passed to her son, with a good meter of mattress between the two of them before answering her question.

"I woke up and...and his hand was around my, my waist and he pulled me closer to him. I turned and when I saw it was him, the scream came out before I could stop it,"

So that's why you screamed!" a triumphant gleam shined in Draco's grey eyes. Conversationally, he continues,

"I thought you woke up and found a mad man with a bloody axe in his hands standing over you,"

Subconsciously, Draco had scooted over to Anya, making the distance between them smaller. The latter had noticed this and the fear returned to her eyes, she looked around, as if looking for a safe sanctuary among the covers. Draco was oblivious to all this as he continued to talk, making the girl more uncomfortable by the minute.

"The way you screamed was like something terrible had happened.Ow! Mother!"

Narcissa had walked the distance between the bed and where she was previously standing in a matter of seconds. The moment she reached Draco, automatically one of her hands reached out and had pulled on one of his ears, making it red. Something she hadn't done ever since he was eight.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy! What did I tell you last night?" she hissed in a sweet tone, a danger sign. One Draco had accustomed to whenever his mother had got annoyed with her husband.

"Which part? I don't really remember. Ow! Let go! That certainly freshens my memory," he added when his mother once again pulled his ear. The girl in front of him had managed to stifle laughter and made it sound like a small cough.

Anya barely managed to hide her small amusement at seeing the teenage boy being treated like a small boy of six by his mother. The amusement vanished when the boy sent her a death glare.

"What are you laughing at?"

This rude, yet irritated, comment made Narcissa tighten her hold on Draco's ear, making its pale color turn red.

"Draco! I told you not to..."

"Not to make her feel uncomfortable. I remembered Mother and I did like you told me to,"

"Then what is the meaning of...of this?" Narcissa gestured her hand towards the bed where he was casually sitting in.

"Oh, you mean the part where I had my hands around her? Frankly, I don't know how I ended up in the bed, not like it was a crime or something; the bed is mine but..." Draco put on his thinking face before continuing,

"I remembered falling asleep on the couch, like you told me to then I woke up in the middle of the night because it was too hot and that's why I took off my shirt and...That's all. I fell back asleep on the couch. See? I'm innocent," Draco raised his hands as if to prove his innocence.

Anya had let the tight grip on the covers loosen moments after Narcissa entered the room, giving her a feeling of safety from Draco. She had managed to keep her face straight after being the receiving end of Draco's glare and had listened intently to his explanation. Something was missing from his explanation. After few moments of thinking, ignoring the mother and son, Anya discovered the last piece of the puzzle. Before she could stop herself, the words were out of her mouth,

"Have you ever experienced somnambulism?" Both Malfoy turned sharply to look at Anya, their petty argument about Draco's ' innocence' forgotten, both of them surprised to hear her speak freely on her own accord, not just to answer a question.

"Somnambulism?" Draco raised an eyebrow. _My, my looks like Father hadn't chosen his usual brainless beauty for me. _

"Sleepwalk. You know, have you ever sleepwalked before?' Anya shifted slightly under his gaze.

"I know what that word means! Anyway," he paused in mid sentence, meaning to say that a Malfoy never sleepwalk but with his mother in front of him, he knew he can't lie," it's been a long time since I last sleepwalked,"

Narcissa watched the interaction between her son and his 'gift' silently. She still remembered Draco's sleepwalking habit but if it was anything, it was not random. Oddly enough, every time he sleepwalks it's whenever he gets presents or something. Like the time during Christmas, when he was eight. He supposedly had 'sleepwalked' to the Christmas tree in the sitting room and had supposedly unwrapped all his gifts in the middle of the night while sleeping.

"That certainly explains it, Anya, nice thinking there. Don't worry, this won't happen again, it only happens once in a while," she assured the girl kindly.

" Draco, you missed breakfast and I don't want it to repeat but I don't have any intention to starved you so I want you to get ready in 20 minutes, using the guest bathroom, understand," Narcissa had once again instilled her matron like manner to her son, showing to him, she means business. More kindly, she turned to Anya,

"I'll send a house elf up with your breakfast and a change of clothes for you. The bathroom has some clean towels and I hope you don't mind using a towel with my son's initial on it,"

Narcissa smiled kindly and looked pointedly at her son until he finally got the message. Grumbling, he got up and trudged out of the room, with minor threats in his mind. Narcissa proceed to head out of the room herself but stopped with her hand on the doorknob at the sound of a voice behind her.

"Thank you,"

"For what Anya?"

"For being nice to me." and for the first time, Narcissa saw a smile on Anya's face.

**(A/N I would like to say thanks to:**

therealDM **for saying that you like my story and about Draco/Hermione ship, I'm a big fan of them because that relationship will never happen.**

DannysGirlForever **thanks for your luck, I'll be needing them for next year will totally be a year of studying. Imagine I'm studying for the N.E.W.T.S next year.**

CMHValex **I love your questions and as you just read, I have answered all of your questions in this chapter. Enjoy.**

zuz **thanks for telling me that my problem is not a problem anymore**.

aznchic2009 **and** Sayae **you guys said the same thing so I just want to say hanks for reading and enjoying it and I love it when I leave you curious.**

**And please, please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N: I've send this and the next chapter to my beta but she haven't reply yet and I'm in a hurry cos' school's starting this Tuesday and because it's going to be an important year of studying, my parents had banned me from the computer on weekdays so I'm here to post two chapters this time cos' I don't know when the next chapter is coming up. Remember, the 2 chapters haven't been read by anyone but me so their bound to be bad. Please review!)**

He leans against the door, his arms across his chest, a smug smile on his face, locks of his blonde hair falling to his enchanting grey eyes, a vision of perfection. If an angel would ever wear an all black attire, it would look just like him. Draco Malfoy. He knew he look hot at that moment. Heck, it could be one of the top three moments in " Draco Malfoy's Hottest Moment".

Draco Malfoy is used to being the receiving end of attention from girls. He's used to the admiring glances and the giggles whenever he flash a smile at a group of girls walking by. Yes, Draco Malfoy is used to being one of the most good looking guy that had ever graced the halls of Hogwarts( his own vain words). So, it was perfectly understandable for Draco to feel a small twinge of annoyance when the sole occupant of the room, a female teenager was merely more interested in the embroidery of the Malfoy crest on the cushion in her hand.

His grey eyes stops at her face, looking intently at her face, trying to find any flaws but found none, the bruises were gone and her lips is the perfect color of luscious pink, her raven hair hastily brushed and untied. After a full minute of staring at her face yet without even a small reaction from her, Draco gave up and his eyes moved downwards, to her attire. _Well, at least I know that she has great legs_, he concluded, looking at the small yet still beautiful amount of legs exposed beneath the hem of the knee length black skirt paired with a long sleeved white blouse, totally conservative.

The feeling of peacefulness that had engulfed Anya before quickly dissapeared when the door had opened, letting in not the kind woman but her son. Holding on to Narcissa's promise that her son won't do anything to her, Anya nonchalantly looks at the elaborate design designed on the cushion in her hand, losing her interest after the first ten seconds. _God. Please don't come near me. Go and do anything pureblood prats like you always do during the holidays. Wait. What if torturing muggleborns is one of his favorite pastimes? What if he's one of the ' like father like son' type? If he is, I'm dead._

She was too deep in her thoughts she didn't notice him crossed the room towards her, his eyes never leaving her face, praising its quiet beauty silently without knowing so. She was too busy mulling on what he could be intending to her that she didn't notice his presence, standing beside her until he let out a small intentional cough, jerking her out of her thoughts.

Anya jumped and looked up at his face before she could stop herself, looking into his grey eyes. Fear came hurtling back into herself as she takes in the rest of his face, not unlike his father's, her torturer. Without warning, she quickly stood up, taking hasty steps away from him, breaking into a small run towards the door, where she could lose herself in its hallway and rooms, away from him. Her hand was only inches away from the doorknob when a hand had enclosed itself around her free wrist. Forcefully but without roughness like Lucius had displayed towards her, Draco drags her away from the door, towards the canopy bed. Anya's eyes widen with fear and the thought of what was coming had made her voice returned.

"Let me go! You promised your mother you won't do anything!" she half screamed.

Draco pushed her on to his bed unceremoniously before taking out his wand and points it towards the door, "Silencio" (**A/N I read somewhere that Draco's birthday is somewhere late in the year, during October or November but let's just pretend that he turned seventeen in midyear so he can use magic legally**).

"Good. My mother won't hear us. She's somewhere at the far side of the manor with some work and she thinks I went out for a ride on my broomstick," Draco puts his wand in a drawer of his bedside table. "You can't touch it. I've put a charm that someone with only my permission can touch it or they will get burn marks on their hands," he said when Anya eyed him doing so.

"Let me go! Take off the silencing charm! You promised her you won't do anything to make me feel uncomfortable. You're surely making me feel very NOT comfortable now! Let me go!"

Ignoring her demands, Draco leans in towards her, catching her chin in one hand, looking her deep into her eyes. Anya stops screaming when the handsome youth's lips landed on her gently; almost lovingly he kissed her, without a response from her. After the shock of Draco's sudden act had wore down (very quickly, I assure you), Anya pulls away from Draco's lips, a look of pure shock and disgust on her face. She opens her mouth to say something but closed it again as if she had loss her ability to speak. Draco had a satisfying smirk on his face when Anya had pulled away. Looks like once again my kiss had made a girl stops talking.

"Did my kiss leave you speechless? I know I'm good but to leave you speechless is saying something," he can't stop himself drawling at the look on Anya's face.

"Why, you...you..."

Draco cuts her off, "One more word and I'll do more than just a kiss, not like I can't do it. You are my gift." he warned. Anya closed her mouth quickly, mentally throwing insults at him_. If I have my wand with me, I'll hex him so bad that he'll forgot who he is._

" Now you have stop screaming, we can continue what was delayed last night " he leans in again but not so close this time, just near enough to put his hands on her shoulders, ensuring she won't get up and maintaining eye contact.

Anya holds her breath when he had said something about continuing what was delayed, silently praying that she'll just drop dead at that moment so he can't do anything to her. His gift. His father had told her what her purposes as a gift was and she didn't liked it. She forced herself to calm down at the smile on his face. Draco looks at every inch of Anya's face, taking in the fear and forced calmness. A small smile graced his face suddenly at the thought of fear she held at him,

"Before doing anything else, we'll have to formally introduce ourselves. I'm Draco Lucius Malfoy, only son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy and future Head Boy at Hogwarts. You?"

Startled at the question and small politeness, Anya didn't answer his question until he prodded her with the question again.

" Erm, Anya Zainudin" she answered shortly.

"Okay, Anya. How about your parents?"

"They died when I was a baby. I'm an orphan," seeing the look of dissatisfaction on Draco's face at her answer, she continued, " I was adopted when I was two, a pair of muggles and I went to SEASOM, South East Asia School Of Magic for the last six years,"

Draco nods, absorbing the information. _She's like Harry 'Pity Me Cos My Parents Are Dead' Potter and Hermione 'I'm a Mudblood' Granger mixed together but wait, she was adopted but how did Father get her? Did Father kill her foster parents or something?_

"Did he kill them?" he asked quietly, "Your foster parents?"

"Them? I wish he killed them." a dark expression passed her face and Anya could feel herself nearing the brink of sadness, tears pooling themselves at the side of her eyes, not falling. Draco felt a small shock at the glistening of her dark eyes. He let go of her shoulders and shocked himself by kneeling in front of her, taking her hands inside his. Its warmth felt welcoming to him in the cold manor. Anya looked up as he held her hands. Is this the son of the man who had thrown countless curses at her, physically bruised her, and treated her like a livestock for the past week?

" What happened Anya?" for the first time in his life, Draco shown concern, let that particular feeling surfaced in his cold appearance, after years of training with his father in not letting certain emotions show themselves.

" At first, they loved me but when I got the letter from SEASOM they started hating me, called me a freak of nature. Every summer, I went back to their house where they treated me like dirt. It was at the beginning of this summer that they started to treat me like they use to when I was a kid. I was curious but thought they changed their mind about me, decided to love me again. A week after that your father arrived and took me away after my foster parents told me that… that… they sold me to your father," at this, the waves of sadness inside her had turn into a tsunami, breaking the dams of her tears, her tears silently making wet trails on her cheeks.

Sold her? How could they do that to her? Even though she's a mud-, muggleborn, she doesn't deserve it. No one does. Draco shook his head silently, couldn't believe it but when he saw the ears silently falling from her eyes, he stood up and without thinking, he did an act that will make Narcissa proud. He hugged Anya in a soothing hug, not meant to do anything else but calm her, relieving the sadness in her. The warmth and surprisingly, a feel of safety of being in Draco's arm was everything that she needed. Shifting his position, Draco sat beside her on the bed, holding her in his arms, not saying anything except offering a shoulder to cry on, not knowing why he's doing so.

**(A/N: Please review! Thanks to all the reviewers and oh yeah, there won't be author notes in the next chapter)**


	7. Chapter 7

Two weeks had passed ever since the Anya crying and Draco comforting her episode. Their relationship had been an odd one, between a relationship of acquaintances and friends. They didn't exchange words of familiarity yet they didn't ignore each other. Anya had moved to the guest bedroom after Draco had enchanted it to be connected to his room through a door. Unknown to her, Draco had noticed that she had nightmares nearly every night involving her foster parents and Lucius. Every night when she was asleep, a lone figure will enter the room, looking over her for few minutes before exiting it after making sure nothing will harm her.

Narcissa had watched the development closely and had felt relief through her blood veins when Anya no longer fear Draco and her son hadn't done anything to her. None of the two had told her about what had happened that made Anya trust Draco and had made Draco simply cares about her, completely forgetting the real purpose she's even there. Narcissa had made it a duty to spend time with Anya every day, making sure the teenager knows that she didn't approve of what her husband did. Alas, it wasn't in her power to do anything about releasing her so all she could do is make Anya feel comfortable.

Another week had passed when Lucius had voiced his concern at his son in his study, away from his wife, who he knew will object. Lucius had sat behind his table, looking at his son carefully.

"Have you marked her, Draco?"

"No Father"

Even without him saying it, Lucius knew that without some good threatening, his son won't do it. What is wrong with him? A Malfoy would have done it the first night but no, three weeks and nothing. Lucius's resolve hardened at the thought of the mudblood being treated like a freeloader guest in his manor, the Malfoy Manor.

"Three weeks has passed and if I'm not wrong you haven't even touch her. What is wrong with you? Are you... different?"

How could his father questioned his sexual preference? Of course he's straight!

"I assure you Father that I don't swing the other way but..." Draco try to explain without sounding rude or being risked with his father's punishment but Lucius cuts him as a knock on the door.

"It's a relief to know that you're normal Draco but you have to mark her! I'll give you a couple more weeks before taking matters in my own hands by marking her myself. Come in," he dismissed his son with a wave of his hand.

It took every inch of self control that Draco possess not to jump onto his father and beat him up at even daring to have a thought of marking Anya and cheating on his mother. Two bulky figures stood at the doorway, waiting for the young Malfoy to pass through before going into the study themselves. Draco gives a polite nod at both of them, Crabbe and Goyle senior, both the carbon copies of their bumbling stupid sons that most people had assumed as his friends.

The only true friend that Draco Malfoy had is Blaise Zabini, a fellow Slytherin who contrast him in their appearance. Both of them are tall and have the same built but where Draco is pale with his white blonde hair and grey eyes, Blaise had the looks of an Italian casonova, jet black hair with intense blue eyes, being Italian and so. The girls at Hogwarts had called both of them as the night and day friends where he represents the day and Blaise the night. The two of them had only become friends at the start of their fifth year, after Draco had made the choice not to be like his father. Blaise however, with his famous and beautiful mother were what the wizarding world called neutralists, not taking sides and acts like nothing had happened.

A house elf appeared before Draco, bowing low, " Master Draco, your friend is arrived and Lonny had done what Master Draco had said, Lonny had send him to your private wing, Master Draco,"

Draco nods and walked on but he suddenly remembered something. Blaise had his permission to go anywhere in his private wing and being the not so shy guest, he had accustomed to roaming the halls of the east wing to his pleasures. Anya was in the east wing, alone. She had preferred to stay in the guest bedroom whenever Draco was not there with her. God. Please hope that Blaise won't frighten her or anything. His pace had quickened slightly at the thought.

Anya sat in the armchair in front of the empty fireplace of the guest bedroom. She likes the room slightly more than Draco's bedroom because of the lack of mirrors on the wall and the slightly lighter coloring. On her lap, lay a book that Draco had given her to read the day away whenever he went out or couldn't spend time with her. Both of them had spent most of the time in Draco's bedroom, doing nothing except for the occasional small talk and a game of wizard chess. Slowly, her eyes started to close while she stifled a yawn with her hand. Within seconds she had fallen asleep in front of the empty fireplace.

Blaise Zabini had made himself comfortable on the couch in Draco's bedroom, nibbling on tidbits that the house elf had laid for him on the table. Looking around he noticed a door that he haven't seen before. _I swear that there was only the bathroom door when I last came here_. Being a curious person, he twisted the knob of the strange door and found himself in the guest bedroom. _That's odd; I thought the guest bedroom is on the other side of the wing_. He was closing the door but a movement from the armchair in front of the fireplace caught his eye. Slowly, without closing the door, he walks towards the armchair.

Anya opened her eyes when she felt a warm breath going down her cheek, expecting to see Draco but instead she looks deep into a pair of deep blue eyes that held her own dark ones with curiosity. She backs away from the stranger by pushing the armchair away from him and looked at him.

"Who are you? Does Draco know you're here?" she asked, a bit of tremble in her voice. She didn't trust this stranger at all; the only one she trust is Narcissa and Draco.

Blaise smiled slightly at the girl in the armchair, taking in her attire of a pair of Draco's old jeans and a black Quiddicth shirt. Who _is she and what is she doing here? Why didn't Draco told me about her? _

Here's a thing about Blaise Zabini. He's known as the nicest member of Slytherin, never picking fights with Gryffindors, preferring to stay away from arguments as his nature as a neutralist. He is also known as the quiet Slytherin, charming girls with his gentlemanly manners and quiet smile. He had caught the tremble in her voice and unlike Draco; he doesn't resort to intimidation in getting information. Turning on the old Zabini's charm, he says.

"I'm Blaise Zabini, a friend of Draco from Hogwarts and you are..."

"Anya Zainudin,"

He takes Anya's right hand and softly brush his lips against her knuckles, "Nice to meet you Anya. Call me Blaise. I was wondering if you would mind to join me for some snacks in Draco's room while waiting for him?" he asks gently, not letting go of her hand. Anya looks at him and felt that she didn't care that the blue eyed wizard still had her hand in his, felt that she just had to trust him, he is a friend of Draco and he seems harmless enough and his eyes, unlike Draco's had a certain natural warmness in it. She nods and stood up, with the help of Blaise.

"Sure."

"Great," Blaise smiles at the girl, noting the beauty in her quietly. He opened his mouth to say something when the door that he had came in from banged to the wall, a tall figure with blonde hair striding into the room, towards them, stopping to stand beside Anya, glaring at his friend.

"Anya, did he do anything to you?" Blaise felt shocked at the note of concern in his friend's voice, something he had never heard before.

"Nothing. Blaise just asked me to have some snack in your room." she shook her head slightly.

Draco pointedly looked at their two hands, " Introduced yourself have you Blaise?" a hint of sarcasm.

The Italian noticed it and quickly let Anya's hand go." Yes. I was intrigued in getting to know her better because you haven't told me anything about her, you know, being your friend and everything,"

"Anya, why don't you go to my room for awhile? I have something to talk to Blaise here," he takes Anya's hand and walks her to the door. Anya merely nod, knowing that Draco would feel uncomfortable in telling Blaise that she's his gift in front of her.

"Sure,"

Blaise waited until the door closed behind Anya's back before he rounded on Draco.

"Who is she?"

" Well, actually, the Malfoys have this tradition, you see, where when a male Malfoy gets to his seventh year in Hogwarts or somewhere, he will get a special gift," Draco faced the empty fireplace, not looking at his friend.

"What does that have to do with Anya?" Blaise asked.

"Because I got the Head Boy position, my gift is extra special and," he hesitated before continuing," Anya's my gift," He turns around to see a shock expression on Blaise's face.

"What!"


	8. Chapter 8

**(A/N Hey there. The first two torturous weeks of school just ended and I forced myself to type this chapter up. First of all, this chapter is not beta-ed because my current one is in a situation where she just can't beta for me so I was wondering whether any of you out there would like to be my second beta. Please. Second, because this chapter came straight from and me and knowing about my past tense problem, its bound to be bad so tell me what you think, nicely of course.)**

Anya's back met the wall too soon for her liking, a dead end in the many halls of the manor. Her heart thumped wildly against her chest, fear begins seeping back into her system. She looked around her, her mind working, thinking of a way that could get her out of her current situation but sadly, she couldn't think of one. She knew that no one could help her now. Not Narcissa. Not Draco. Both of them had gone out to the Zabini's for tea after an owl had delivered the invitation the day before. Narcissa had kindly insisted that Anya should tag along but...now was too late to regret her decision in turning down the invitation.

The footsteps came closer, heavy and slow, its rhythm slightly intimidating. Her breathing became quicker and shallower. It's all her fault. If only she had listened to Draco when he told her not to wander out of the east wing, where she's safe but she was so interested in the drawings on the wall that when she finally had finished looking at a partially gruesome one, she realized that she had walked out of the east wing's boundaries and had lost her way in the many halls. It was when she was standing before a painting depicting three monks having dinner with a giant, two house elves and a centaur that she first heard the footsteps coming towards her. _Maybe it's a house elf and I can ask them to help me find my way back to the east wing_. Her hope of getting back to the east wing crushed into dust when the footsteps came around the corner.. Lucius Malfoy. His steel eyes looked at her in a way that made her skin crawl. His lips broke into a smirk.

" My, my, my. Look who we have here, all alone," he stressed the last word, making the feeling in her doubled. Slowly, he neared her, his eyes wandering on her whole person, backing her to the blank wall besides the painting of the monks. Roughly, he grabbed her hands, turning them over and looked at her smooth wrists.

" I supposed you got your finger twisted around my son, seeing he hasn't done what I told him to do, you filthy mudblood."

Anya struggled against Lucius' grasp, trying to get out while protesting " Let me go!" but it was a simply vain attempt, her figure seems petite against the tall blonde. Lucius leered at her while saying,

" You better hold still. I'm not as virtuous as my son. Although he may not find you tempting, I do," he said suggestively, slowly licking his lips.

The fear inside Anya doubled at this remark and the look of lust in Lucius' eyes didn't really calm her nerves down. But in the layer of faint fear lays a spark of curiosity, making her wondered what the heck was Lucius looking for on her wrists and what didn't Draco do. The question may had shown on her face or maybe Lucius is an accomplished Leggimens (A**/N Please just let the spelling mistake be**) who can read her mind but all the same Lucius sneered at her.

" My son hasn't told you, has he?" he asked leaning closer and closer to her until his dry lips grazed against her ear. Anya shuddered at the tiny physical contact, preferring the Cruciatus curse that he had thrown to her in the agonizing period of being his captive than this physical gesture.

" Part of the Malfoy tradition is to mark your gift on her wrist. You want to know how? By taking away your... virginity,'

Anya's heartbeat stopped for a second or two, not wanting to believe what Lucius just said. It can't be. She knew her purpose as Draco's gift but marking her is so...

" What if I refused to be marked?" she tries putting on a brave face, trying to ignore the pain Lucius was inflicting on her wrists.

"That makes it much easier. I have to do it myself then, with pleasure of course,"

This had such a frightening prospect looming over it that Anya felt a sudden, out of nowhere, surge of energy running through her veins. Fear does instilled strength. She wrenched her hands out of Lucius' grasp and pushed him away and before the man could reached out for her, she slipped past him and ran off blindly, not knowing which part of the manor she's heading to, not caring as long as it's far away from Lucius.

Anya opened her eyes when once again the footsteps came round the corner, coming closer and closer. Her shallow breathing stopped momentarily when the blonde haired man once again cornered her against the wall. He came closer and closer and when she was once more within his reach, a house elf suddenly apparate at their side. Anya let go of the breath that she didn't even noticed that she was holding before and if she wasn't in that situation she would had grabbed the house elf and hugged it appreciatively.

" Sorry Master Malfoy but Mistress Narcissa and Master Draco had just coming back and Mistress Narcissa is wanting to see you in your study, Master Malfoy,"

They're back! Anya felt like worshipping the house elf now but Lucius merely nod, telling the house elf he will be coming along soon. The house elf apparate out of sight, and left the two of them all alone, in a deserted hall somewhere in the manor. The fact that she's now once again alone with Lucius triggered the single tear squeezing itself out of her dark eye and being a man who constantly craved power, Lucius' smile had a smile on but it was not like the smile that occasionally grazed Draco's face which contains happiness or joy but a smile of power hunger. Lucius grabbed Anya's chin in his hand, forcing eye contact between the two of them.

" I'm giving you a whole week to be marked by my son. If you're still not marked by then..." he lowered the hand on her chin to her neck, grazing her soft skin with his fingertips, " It will be my pleasure,"

The moment Lucius' retreating back went around the corner, Anya's legs turned into jelly, incapable of holding her weight and she slid down to the floor slowly, staring to a painting of a haughty looking centaur, her face blank of emotions. Another house elf apparated in front of her, Lonny, the house elf who had been waiting on her for the past few weeks, on Narcissa's orders of course, looked at her with a worried expression.

" Miss, Master Draco is looking for Miss. He is sending me to look for you."

Anya blinked twice and it was then that a sob came out, her body rocked slightly and to the house elf enormous surprise, she began crying silently her teary eyes staring at the house elf who found it very unnerving and nervously continued,

" Miss, we should hurry. Master Draco is not in a good mood."

Draco paced across his room, which can be quite tiring considering its length, his hands balled tightly, occasionally glancing at the door, waiting for the house elf to return, with Anya alongside. After flooing home from the Zabini Villa in Italy, Draco had quickly went to the east wing, leaving his mother who said something about chatting his father, something that Draco had never participate in. He had walked into his room, half expecting the dark haired girl reading on the couch but he merely twisted the knob of the adjoining door, assuming she's in the guest room instead but to his dismay, the room was dark, cold and empty, ringing the alarm bells in his head.

After sending a house elf to look for her, Draco had started pacing, not unlike an eager first time father-to-be. It's very unusual for him, Draco Lucius Malfoy, the Malfoy heir, Head Boy and the Slytherin Prince to be concerned about anyone else except for himself and his mother, who holds a special place in his heart and as Blaise had pointed out, it was even weirder for him to actually care about a muggleborn, considering his attitude towards that particular lot. Not knowing the reason himself, Draco had never let Anya out of the east wing or to even set foot out of the two rooms without him or his mother tells him that he really cares about her.

Maybe it's because of him, Anya is in such a vulnerable situation. Because of him, an innocent muggleborn witch ad been treated cruelly and practically dragged across the world just to be his gift. He had surprised himself when he had comforted her but at that moment, he told himself it was because of the guilt in him. Few minutes had passed before the house elf had apparated once again, alone. Lonny bowed so low that the end of its pencil like nose almost touched the floor, clearly fearing Draco's wrath.

" Lonny is sorry Master Draco but Miss Anya is not wanting to come. She is not wanting to move too,"

" Where is she?" Draco snapped.

" Miss Anya is at the painting of Sein the centaur in the west wing, Master Draco"

The west wing. Shit. Draco dismissed the house elf with a wave of his hand, his mind wondering what the hell is Anya doing wandering in the west wing.

A new pair of footsteps came closer, quicker this time, almost urgent like. When Draco came into Anya's sight her heart tore into relief and new found fear, remembering that she had to be marked. Her vision turned much more blurry, her tears had refreshed at the thought. Thanks to Lucius, Anya no longer feels safe to be around Draco, her mind imagining scenes of her being marked.

Draco looked down at the girl sitting on the floor, her head in her hands. Slowly, he crouched down and touches her shoulder with a hand.

" Anya?" he said to which the girl mumbled something that only she herself can understands. He puts a hand under her chin, forcing her to look at him with teary eyes. Once again, Anya was forced to look into a pair of grey eyes, but this one is slightly warmer and much kinder. Grey eyes met dark eyes.

" Why didn't you tell me? Did you forgot" Or were you planning to let your father do it instead," she asked quietly, not showing any emotions but her tears betrayed her.

" What are you talking about?" Draco asked, having a slight clue of her answer.

" Marking me," simply she answered, not caring for words.

He guessed right. Looks like his father found a way to tell Anya what he didn't want to tell. He had slept sleepless night for the past week, rolling over in his bed, thinking of a way to do the deed. It was Blaise who told him a simple solution, the only option and all that was left was telling Anya about it.

" I wanted to tell you Anya, but... I didn't know how. I just couldn't," he said softly. At this, rage came into Anya.

" How could you not tell me! What did you intend to do? Stun me and get it done? You didn't know how I felt when your father told me! How could you?" angry tears spilled out. Draco put his fingers against Anya's lips, making her stop.

"I will never do that but... there's another way to get you marked," Anya didn't say anything, so he continued.

" Lust potion. Not the ordinary one, though but a special one. You drink it and after submitting to lust, you'll forget what you felt and the memory will fade on its own," he explained." That's the only way and I won't let my father mark you,"

Anya looked into Draco's face, her mind thinking of what he had explained, agreeing with the logic. It made sense. The lesser of two evils. On one hand, the potion while on the other is Lucius. It was clear that she had no choice but there's another way out but even how desperate she is, she won't do it but she gave it a chance.

"Do you have a dagger?" an innocent tone.

" A what? What the bloody hell would you do with a dagger!" Draco spluttered (going against Rule 8 of the Malfoy Handbook: a Malfoy never splutters).

" Maybe commit sui-" she stopped when Draco once again covered her mouth.

" You won't do that," he said sternly," Will you take the potion?" he plead. For the first time in his life Draco had pleaded to someone but it was the only option. He looked into her eyes, silently begging her. She answered after a moment, slightly hesitating.

" I'll do it, if..."

'If what?" he didn't care. He'll give her the moon if she asked for it, knowing he had forced her to make a hard decision. Anya rethought her decision but what she would get was too tempting for her, getting the idea from a conversation with Blaise Zabini, who had taken her as a friend. Looking Draco squarely in the eye, she made her decision.

"If... you let me go to Hogwarts on the first of September...as a student,"

**(A/N I would like to say thanks to all who review for me, you know who you are. Oh yeah, there's going to be the scene where Draco and Anya doing the deed, to get her marked and I was wondering about the rating. Should I make it an M or just leave it? Chapter 9 is finished but not yet typed so I can't guarantee when I'm going to post it. Bye)**


	9. Chapter 9

**(A/N: First of all I would like to say thanks to my sweet beta who helped me a lot. Second, here's the 9th chapter that took me forever to write and I hope you like it and please review. Oh yeah, thank you to all who reviewed. You guys are the best!)**

With only one more week to September the first, Diagon Alley had never been more crowded, parents trying to shop while making sure their children were not causing any troubles. Eager eleven years old impatiently waiting to try out the countless wands at Ollivander's for their own personal wand, only compatible with themselves. At the end of Diagon Alley, a quaint shop stood, looking like an expensive boutique from the outside. Expensive and top quality robes on moving mannequins, flaunting their wares at the display window to the passing crowd. Inside the shop, a beautiful woman in her mid thirties with intense blue eyes and wavy black hair and a stout woman in her fifties with a bun at the back of her head fussed over a teenage girl, standing on a low podium, various robes draped over her. Her tanned face looked slightly bored and irritated yet the two older women couldn't help but make a great deal over her wardrobe.

"This light pink robe makes her skin practically glow, Bianca," Madam Elsie, the owner of Madam Elsie's Boutique said critically, holding the robe in front of the girl. Bianca Zabini nodded her head while her face broke into a beautiful pearly smile." We'll take it with the others," the witch gestured towards four pairs of silky black robes, an emerald green and a cream colored robe in the hands of the shop's assistant, who was staggering under the robes weights.

" I swear I have this new design from Paris and it really suits young Anya here," Madam Elsie said, missing the look of horror on Anya's face at the prospect of spending another minute in the boutique after two torturous hours, but the dark young man leaning on the wall saw it and came to her rescue.

"Mom, I think that Anya has enough robes to last her for a year. We do have other things on the school's list to buy." Blaise, a younger male version of his mother put his hand on Anya's shoulder, making her step down from the podium, away from the two women clutches.

"You have taken her measurements so I don't think the two of us should be stuck in here anymore. So we'll be going to buy the books," he edged towards the door, bringing Anya with him to the door (literally) of their freedom. When Bianca opened her mouth to protest, the dark Slytherin slyly made a distraction.

"Look Mom, that white robe will look great for the dinner party next week," as the Italian lady checked out the mentioned silk robe, the two teenagers quickly took their chance at leaving the stuffy boutique to the sunny alley outside. Blaise ran a hand through his soft black curls and let out a relieved sigh.

"Glad that's over. Come on Anya, we have to get the books from Florish and Blotts before Mom changes her mind about buying those white robes"

Anya followed the tall youth, pulling back the sleeve of her blouse over the skin of her wrist that had been exposed slightly when Blaise had tugged on her hand, covering the black mark on it from the world. With a slight shudder, Anya could only faintly remember the fateful night where she, under the influence of the lust potion, had given herself to Draco, leading to a night of passion where she couldn't remember the passion at all, thanks to the potion.

* * *

Anya looked down at the small clear bottle in her hand. Its content, a murky green liquid had a slightly wicked aura as she uncork the bottle and surprisingly got a delicious whiff of green apples, seducing her to take a sip. How something that smells so heavenly could have such a sinister purpose. She looked at the bathroom mirror in front of her, she saw a pale teenage girl with a nervous expression on her face with a slightly shaking hand. Beads of sweat gathered on her forehead as she closed her eyes, rethinking for the hundredth time. It was the only way out for her and no matter how she thought there was no other option. She jumped slightly when a knock came from the locked bathroom door.

"Anya? Are you okay?" Draco's voice came from the other side of the door.

"I'm...I'm okay. Be out in a minute," Each of them had taken a bottle of the lust potion with them to drink for the night.

Anya had locked herself in the bathroom while Draco had taken a seat on the couch, staring at the bottle in his hand. Steadily, Anya uncorked the bottle and braced herself. _You can do it Anya_. Think about going to Hogwarts, far away from Lucius. Slowly, she raised the bottle to her lips and the liquid went into her mouth, leaving a sweet taste in her mouth and for a moment, her body was enveloped in a faint pink glow before it disappeared. A new feeling creep into her, something foreign yet interesting.

Draco looked up from his hands when the bathroom door opened (finally) and Anya stepped out, a shy look on her face. She stood still in the middle of the room, nervously twirling a strand of her hair around a finger, her eyes cast towards the floor, not looking at the blonde wizard. Did it work, he wondered. Slowly, he neared her, taking step by step towards her. He knew that even if she's affected by the lust potion, he would have to wait for her to make the first move, not wanting to scare her off.

"Anya...did it work? Did something wrong happ-" his words were cut off when slowly but steadily, Anya wrapped her hands around his neck, bringing his lips to her pinkish ones. After a while, Draco succumbed to her soft yet insistent kisses, her lips giving off a sweet taste that he found addicting. His arms wrapped themselves around her waist, bringing their bodies closer. Draco took control of the situation, nibbling on her full lower lip, begging entrance to her warm mouth that Draco's positively sure was full of the sweet taste on her lips.

Slowly, Anya opened her mouth slightly, letting in Draco's enthusiastic tongue which quickly explored every nook and cranny of her mouth, eliciting a faint moan from her. This encouraged Draco to take it further, he let go of her mouth, planting kisses on her jaw line, moving down to her neck, planting hot kisses. She threw her head back, her fingers running through his silky strands of blonde hair. The full affect of the lust potion had kicked in by this time and without a care, Anya let his hands wander over the curves and swells of her body, loving the pleasure she was getting.

Draco looked down at the vision of beauty lying beneath him; her skin looked like honey, moist and sweet. Leaning down, he claimed her mouth for another searing kiss. The night passed with the two of them swimming in the sea of lust, going through throes after throes of passion, not a care for the world. For Anya, it was her first time and even under the influence of the potion, she knew that what she was going through would be one of the best in her life, knowing she will forget the passion and pleasure when she wakes up the next morning, knowing the details will only be a blurred scene with no emotions. For Draco, it is the enjoyment of having his first virgin. Yes, he had slept with Pansy Parkinson on few occasions but being the slut she is, she had lost her virginity to Marcus Flint during fourth year. More than that, the sound of Anya moaning his name turned him on greatly.

* * *

The sun shone through the curtains, waking up the blonde youth on the bed, who had an arm around the beauty's waist, her head lying on his lean torso. Draco opened his grey eyes, blinking slowly, adjusting to the sunlight. Slowly, his eyes traveled to the one in his arms, her face seems so peaceful as she slept in his arms, snuggled up in his warmth. Sighing slowly, he knew the peace on her face wouldn't last when she woke up and somehow that left a feeling of regret in him. How he longed for another chance to repeat last nights scandalous event, another chance to run his hands over her body, another chance for him to hear her calls out his name in passion. A black glittering mark on her right wrist caught his eye. The 'marking' ceremony replayed itself in his mind. After fulfilling the requirements, Draco had raised her wrist to his lips, mumbling an ancient incantation and kissed the smooth skin slowly, enveloping it in a faint blue glow. When it dissapeared, a mark had engraved itself in a beautiful manner on her skin.

The mark, in one word, was enchanting. It was the same design as the pendant Draco wore around his neck ever since his 14th birthday. The black dragon had silver tipped scales with its tail curled around it contently. Its wings were folded on its back, making the dragon in a position of peace and yet it would change itself according to situation. Part of the mark's enchantment was to enable the dragon to switch position. If Anya's feeling particularly mad, the dragon will unfurl itself, sending balls of fire. With another sigh, Draco untangled himself slowly from Anya's warmth, covering her body fully under the bed's warm sheet. Before going into the bathroom, he toke a bottle out of the bedside table's drawer. It was the same bottle as the one he had given Anya to drink. The cork still had the wax sealing around it, a sign that the contents was still untouched. With a slight smirk on his face, Draco headed towards the bathroom. _Who said he needed the lust potion for the night?_

* * *

Anya followed Blaise to the bookstore. It was Draco who had said, you better go and buy your stuff with Blaise and his mother. If you went with me, it will cause quite a scene. That was all he could say before both of them had resumed staring at their feet, their faces slightly blushing. The thought of the night of the marking still reminded them of their intimacy and although Anya couldn't remember the details it still brought a blush to her cheeks. True to his words, Draco had persuaded his mother to write a letter of transfer to Hogwarts and nearly a week later two owls came swooping in, each with a thick letter embossed with the Hogwarts' crest in their beaks. Not surprisingly, Lucius had been livid but after an hour in his study with his wife, he had came out and said nothing, neither protest nor agreement. It was because of Draco's I'm-a-pureblood-that-hates-mudblood image that she was here in Diagon Alley with the two Zabini.

Blaise handed two lists to a man behind the counter in Florish and Blotts and in a manner of respect towards the high society Slytherin, the man nodded,

"It'll take me about ten minutes, sir" and disappeared among the shelves. Blaise turned towards Anya, "There's this certain Ancient Runes' book I had my eye on. I'll meet you here in ten," Anya nodded slightly; her attention had already been caught by a display at the shop's window. Anya picked up one of the black leather bounds book with her hands, reading the title in gold letters. Hogwarts: A History (new edition). As she flipped towards the pages, an excited female voice came from behind her.

"Harry! Ron! Look over there! It's the new edition!"

" Come on Mione, you read that book so many times already you'll probably had it memorized already," another voice, possibly male by its deep tone," The third voice, another male contains amusement.

"She memorized it already Ron. You should know, every time she tells us the rules we're breaking."

Anya turned around, looking at the three teenagers, most probably her age. One of them had black hair with the vivid green eyes while his slightly taller male companion had flaming red hair. The witch had slightly bushy brown hair and an intelligent air around her. She had her full attention on the book in her hands while the redhead was looking at another display of Quiddicth books. The green eyed youth looked at her curiously until the man behind the counter suddenly appeared beside her, hidden behind two stacks of books floating in front of him.

"Miss Zainudin, I have your books here. Would you like to add another purchase?" the man looked at the book in her hands. Anya hesitated. Narcissa had given money to buy her stuff to Bianca Zabini and the book in her hands weren't on the list but a hand tugged the book out of her hand.

"She'll take it. Along with this book,"

Blaise handed the man the two books and the man nodded once again before heading towards the counter, the two stacks of books floating in front of him. Blaise's sudden appearance had caught the attention of the three teenagers. Blaise nodded towards the girl.

"Granger,"

"Zabini," a casual response. The reply from the other two wasn't so casual. In fact, Anya could sense the tense in the three males.

"Potter, Weasley,"

The both of them nodded stiffly. Blaise turned to Anya, a hand on her shoulder, his blue eyes twinkling slightly." Anya, I got to go and pay the books then we'll go to the Leaky Cauldron," the dark Slytherin sauntered towards the counter, leaving the four of them looking at each other. It was Granger who started introducing herself.

"Hi. I'm Hermione Granger. This is Harry and Ron," she extended her hand and Anya accepted with her gloved hand, raising the two boys' eyebrows at this. It's only August and not even cold but Anya pretended not to notice the look on their face.

"I'm Anya Zainudin," she smiled slightly.

"You go to Hogwarts?" again, Hermione asked her.

"Yeah. I'm transferring from SEASOM for my seventh year,"

"Oooh SEASOM? I read about it once in a book," she says excitedly but the redhead, Ron cuts her

"You read about everything in a book, Mione".

Blaise appeared by Anya's side, two plastic bags in his hands.

"Come on Anya. No, no, I'll bring them," he protested when Anya extend her hands to take one of the bags.

"I'll meet you at Hogwarts then, Anya" Hermione said as Anya waved goodbye and followed Blaise out of the store.

Ron looked at the two retreating figures and faced Harry,

'I reckon what's Zabini's relationship with her?" Hermione waved it off.

"Blaise Zabini is quite okay for a Slytherin. I had the same Ancient Runes with him for years. Quiet but not annoying like Malfoy," All three of them agreed that no one could be as annoying as the blonde prefect.

"Yeah, but she looks more like a Gryffindor..." Harry said, his green eyes looking outside the window, following the two figures.

**(A/N: Okay. How was it? The scene where they did it too me a while, not wanting to be descriptive cos' I don't really have a clue! The rating M is just to be safe. Oh yeah, there's something wrong with my computer so I can't possibly type the next chapter then save it without my computer getting stuck. I may have to reformat my computer. Oh well, please review!)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey…..I know it has been AGES since I last updated but it is with a very logical and acceptable reason. Okay, I would like to thank my sweetie beta and also my second one, ****aznchic2009**** who helped me by giving me more confidence. Thanks! I would also like to express my gratitude to all the people who left a review, please continue in doing so! Hopefully, the next chapter will come way sooner than this one. Please read and review, nicely.**

Anya had never felt as excited as she felt right now, sitting on a stool that looked like it couldn't support her weight while waiting for the tattered, ancient hat perched on top of her head to make one single decision. The last time her heart rate had been this fast was more than six years ago, on a morning where she was still a happy eleven year old living in her foster parents' home when an owl swooped onto the dining table, a letter bearing the SEASOM's crest in its beak. The day when she found out she's a witch was the best day of her life and as far as she could remember, the last day she was truly happy with her foster parents. The first holiday break had been spent with receiving odd glances and talks about her 'oddness'.

The students of the four long tables in Hogwarts' magnificent Great Hall along with the teachers looked on excitedly at the witch underneath the Sorting Hat. It was the first time in a century that a new student came to Hogwarts for a year other than the first year. The fact that the newcomer was quite a breathtaking eyesight was a good enough reason for a third of the school's male students to disguise their act of ogling her. The Head Boy had a sore look on his face as he sat at the Slytherin table with his 'cronies', looking disgustedly at the males who were watching Anya's every move ever since they spotted her in the Great Hall. There was just something about her warm skin tone, long dark hair, beautiful, delicious looking pinkish lips (a certain Draco Malfoy could vouch on that) and not to mention a well proportioned, God given body that attracted guys to her without her even noticing it. After ten minutes, Draco had resolved to closing his eyes and count to ten in attempt to calm down the foreign feeling he was experiencing every time a guy set eyes on Anya. Yes, the young Malfoy was jealous.

Beside the brooding blonde, the blue eyed Slytherin watched Anya with interest, having spent time with her in a compartment on the train ride to Hogwarts with explaining to her about the concept of the four houses. Privately, Blaise thought that Anya would probably be a Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw and with a bit of regret that she won't be a Slytherin, blood not in mind but her character was just not Slytherin-like. Being a sharp youth, Blaise had noticed Draco's jealousy as Anya became the object of wizards' attention and with a slight smirk on his Italian face, he focused on the figure sitting on the

stool.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the hall, a pair of emerald eyes looked intently at the new witch, sitting nervously on the stool. Harry pushed the hair away from his eyes, as if they obscured his view. Across him, the bushy haired girl and the redhead wizard he had regard as his best friends for the past six years was bickering in whispers." Honestly, Ron. Malfoy won't dare to do a thing to me. He's too power crazy to jeopardize his Head Boy badge," Ron's response came in a half attempted whisper,

" He is Malfoy! He's a piece-" Harry tuned out Ron's voice, having accustomed himself to his two best friends' constant bickering and now it seemed as normal to him as magic. Instead, he focused on the witch, wondering to what extent is her relationship with Blaise Zabini, having seen them sitting together in a compartment, just the two of them, talking intently.

" My, my. Look who we have here, ah...never have I met such an interesting personality," the voice seems to come from inside her head, only to be heard by her

"You are smart and courageous but not in an obvious way, yes, you don't really have confidence but not your fault, certainly not yours, my dear. Well, should you belong with the intellects or the courageous? Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?"

The tension drew her to the edge, what will she be? A Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw?

" Alright then, you shall be a ...GRYFFINDOR!"

The ancient hat shouted out the last word to the hall letting out a loud cheer from a table of black robes with red and gold badges, greeting the announcement of their newest member. Relief flooded the new Gryffindor's face, sliding off the stool with grace and handing the hat to Prof. McGonagall. Her dark eyes sought out two Slytherins, wanting to see their first reaction about her being a Gryffindor. The dark one gave her one of his small, discreet smile but the blonde one was looked bored, examining the Head Boy badge on his hand, as if he'd rather be anywhere than there at that moment, not even looking at her. With a sigh, Anya shrugged it off, remembering that it was Draco who had said that it is best if the two of them act as if they don't know each other. She slid onto the wooden bench, in front of a bushy haired girl and a redhead who looked oddly familiar. The former smiled brightly at her, a shiny badge on her black robes with heading Head Girl on it. The warm smile was so familiar...

" Hermione Granger. We met at Diagon Alley," the girl extended her hand which Anya received. Hermione raised an eyebrow slightly, looking curiously at Anya's gloved hand in her own. It was comfortably warm in the Great Hall and gloves were just not part of the normal clothing a Hogwarts' student will wear in the Great Hall in September.

" Hi, Anya Zainudin. We met at Florish and Blots, right?"

" Yeah. This is Ron and that's Harry," the redhead youth gave her a lopsided smile while the messy black haired wizard looked at her with his emerald green eyes, just as enchanting as Draco's grey ones, and smiled a sincere smile

" Hi. Welcome to Gryffindor," a warm welcome from the boy-who-lived. Anya smiled back, quickly forgetting the slight disappointment she had felt with Draco's dismissal of her. At that moment, an old man with a white beard that hung to his waist and a pair of twinkling blue eyes stood up from his high chair at the long table facing the hall,

" Welcome! To the old students, welcome back to another exciting year. To the new ones, an enjoyable year is ahead of you. As usual, we have changes in the staff and this year Defense Against the Dark Arts is going to be teach by Prof. Nymphadora Tonks!"

A vibrant, young witch with bubblegum pink hair stood from her place besides Prof. Snape, her bright turquoise robes looking very, well, bright beside the man's plain black robes and smiled brightly at the applause. When she had resumed her seat, the headmaster continued with his speech, not noticing that two of his students weren't listening.

"Bloody stupid Potter. Can't keep his eyes off her when that she-Weasel is so eager to jump all over him," threats upon threats were muttered angrily by the Head Boy, his grey eyes as cold as steel and his gaze towards the object of his anger as sharp as a knife. His mind was working on ways to stop the Gryffindor from openly ogling Anya, his Anya that is! Maybe he could gouge those creepy green eyes, or he could just curse him with one of those Dark curses Father had taught him during the summer. He was too occupied with trying to kill the boy-who-lived just by staring at him that he didn't hear the Headmaster's speech which included announcements concerning Hogsmeade's visits, a certain room on the sixth floor which has just been labeled as out of limit and changes in classrooms placement in the castle. His blue eyed friend shot a sideway glance towards him, a smirk on his face." Someone's jealous," those words chimed in Blaise Zabini's head as he half paid attention towards the beginning of the year speech and half paid attention towards his friend.

There was just something about the witch sitting beside him that intrigued Harry Potter more than any other new acquaintance would. Maybe it was the way she smiled, or the way her eyes seemed to be the window to her soul( God, so cliché')but whatever it was Anya Zainudin was one of a heck of an enigma, what's up with those gloves? The burning feeling at the side of his face came slowly, building up to a heat that can no longer be ignore, a feeling that someone's watching him with such intensity made him turn his head around slightly to look into a pair of burning grey eyes, if looks could kill, Voldemort would have danced the tango over Harry's body. Surprised but determined, Harry returned the gaze, his mind wondering why the blond wizard was looking at him in that manner. Had he insulted the Death Eater wannabbe but it was obvious to Harry that the young Malfoy was mad, no, livid with him. Shrugging it off, Harry turned back to face his friends, quickly noticing that the feast had started without him realizing it by the fact that Ron had a roll in his hand a chicken wing his other, trying to stuff both of them in his mouth at the same time.

Anya and Hermione were having a conversation about Hermione's Head Girl badge which was proudly pinned at the front of her robes.

" That's cool. I read that the Head Girl and Head Boy will share a common room together," Anya looked genuinely interested as she ate the food on her plate while looking at Hermione.

"Yeah but I'm sure that Draco Malfoy won't do anything to me," at this, she gave the red head wizard beside her a dirty look which he quickly replied" You can never let your guard down around a Malfoy, even when he's a ferret,"

All three of them, except for Anya laughed at the last comment. The feast passed by with the trio filling Anya in about the ferret accident in their fourth year and few of their famous escapades over the years. The noise level inside the Great Hall rose as the students pushed the benches back and stood up so they could go to their own respective dorms. Blaise Zabini had a slightly uneasy feeling in his stomach. The meal had passed by with Draco's jealousy surfacing themselves in his actions. He had to do something, probably warn Anya that a Malfoy, whom are commonly known as possessive people, should never be jealous of something. Maybe during breakfast tomorrow, he thought as he made his way to the Slytherin dungeons.

**Teaser: What's coming up in the next chapter? A jealous Malfoy and a curious Wonder Trio.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: The 11th chapter of You're Mine! I hope that you'll enjoy it and review if you want to. Thanks to Amanda, my beta and Michelle Pham, the one who helped me a lot. Read on.**

The handsome owl clicked its beak impatiently at the sleeping figure, snuggled warmly in the dark green satin sheets, only a tuft of white blond hair visible above the sheets. The owl knew that it had to wait until the figure woke up before it could hand over the scroll of parchment and package from its mistress so it settled itself more comfortably on the arm of a chair. The owl took a slow look around the room, getting a feel for the surroundings that it would be frequently visiting to for the year.

The large canopy bed stood in the middle of the room, a moderate sized fireplace opposite it, its grate void of any signs of a fire as it was still to warm in the year for a fire. At the far wall, a bookshelf had been installed from floor to ceiling, its shelves filled with volumes and tomes, the titles varying from _' How To Avoid a Potion Disaster'_, _'The Ancient History Of The Dark Arts_' and _'Wizard's Aphrodisiac'_. The chair that the owl was perching on was near the open window, overlooking the Forbidden Forest, a place where mysterious creatures dwell. The room could be summarized in one word, elegant. Even more so by the color scheme, dark green and silver, which gave a superior feeling to it.

After waiting for about 10 minutes, the figure in the bed started stirring, making the satin sheets shift as well and after a bit of stirring and a sign of a yawn, the figure got off the bed, leaving the comfort and warmth of the sheets. The fine strands of white blond hair tousled with the night's sleep. The owl looked at the teenage wizard, a boy in his late teens, somewhere around 17-18 years of age. He had a lean and toned body, or in the words of a teenage witch, he had a fine body! He was only clad in a pair of black boxers, completely oblivious to the owl's presence as he rubbed the remains of last night's rest out. It wasn't until the owl gave a hoot, attracting the wizard's attention, did the wizard take notice of the owl.

"You're early this year, Jupiter," It was odd how Draco Malfoy could still manage to drawl his words, even if just a bit, in the early morning. Jupiter hooted once again, more reproachfully this time as Draco untied the scroll while giving a small chuckle at the owl's annoyance.

"All right. Good morning Jupiter." he deftly unrolled the parchment only to be greeted by his mother's neat handwriting. Ah! The first day letter Narcissa had accustomed to send to her son on the morning of the first day, usually during breakfast but by some reason or other, it arrived quite early for the seventh year.

_**Draco,**_

_**Jupiter may have arrived earlier than usual but I'm sure he didn't bother you as you were supposed to already be awake by the time he arrived. How's your room? If there's anything you find unsatisfactory about your Head Boy room, your father will be more than ready to buy you some top quality stuffs in Diagon Alley for you. As usual, the package that Jupiter brought along contains the usual sweets for you but this year, there's something extra in it, for Anya. The bag of chocolate frogs is for her as I remember that she adores them, (and I also remember that you don't really favor them) please give it to her with my best wishes.**_

_**With love,**_

_**Narcissa Malfoy**_

Throwing the letter aside, Draco grabs a fresh white towel and heads towards the closed bathroom door, adjoining both the Head Boy and the Head Girl's room together.

* * *

"Oh yes, Ron! Malfoy put me under the Imperius curse last night, filled the bathtub with mud 5 minutes before my bath time, called me a bucktooth, bushy mudblood and oh yeah! He's going to hold a weekly meeting for future Death Eaters in the common room that we share!" Hermione Granger didn't waste any energy in concealing her irritated eye rolling at her red head friend as she buttered the piece of toast in her hand. 

Across her, the offender looked very offended while beside him, Harry and Anya were smothering their laughter by stuffing their mouths with a piece of their breakfast. Not wanting to add to the insult, but the look on Ron's face was so funny that a minute later, Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, burst out laughing, catching the attention of some of the fellow students nearby.

The Great Hall was full with students in their black robes, having their first breakfast for the year. The moment Hermione arrived at the Gryffindor table, the ever so suspicious of Ferret Face, Ron, had pounced her with numerous questions, all concerning the Slytherin Prince. At first, the Head Girl answered the questions efficiently in her usual manner but 10 minutes and 13 questions later, made her answer back with a cheeky question. As Ron spluttered about how what Hermione just said could come true, Anya hid her smile, still managing to keep her level of amusement under control, by taking a sip of chilled pumpkin juice from her goblet. Putting back the goblet on the table, Anya let her dark eyes travel over the many students, lingering on the ones that held her attention for a while before she felt it.

It was like a dull yet intense throb at the side of her head, as if someone was watching her with dull interest yet with passion. The power of the look made Anya looked around, straight into a pair of stormy grey eyes that she had gotten accustomed to, Draco's. The blond was looking at her, really looking at her, as if he could see more than what others could, making her feel uncomfortable. It was like Draco trying to undress her with his eyes and the thought of this triggers a certain heat creeping up her cheeks.

The memory of the night of passion with Draco is hazy and vague, courtesy of the lust potion, yet certain scenes would push their way to the front of her mind without warning sometimes, reminding her of the way she had kissed Draco passionately, or the moment when his long fingers had slowly, gently undressed her or even the one where she had moaned out his name in pleasure, drowning in the night's euphoria. Anya dropped her gaze as she felt the blush in her face become worse, feeling quite sure that Draco could see the images playing in her mind. Her hands suddenly became very interesting; they were covered in a pair of black gloves. Looking at them reminded Anya of the mark on her right wrist, the reason she was wearing gloves, protecting the people around her from ... herself.

"Bloody hell! What do they have against us? Another double Potions first thing on Monday morning! I told you guys that we're cursed with them!" Ron let out a groan as he scanned the piece of parchment which contained his schedule for his seventh year on Hogwarts. Both Harry and him share the same schedule while Anya, who was taking the same amount of subjects as Hermione was fortunate enough that she had the same classes as the Head Girl. Anya looked down at the piece of parchment that the stern and so forbidding Prof. McGonagall had gave her. Folding her schedule into two, she put the piece of parchment into her bag when she felt a soft tap on her shoulder, the faint scent of familiar cologne gracing her senses.

"Anya, can I have a word with you?" Blaise Zabini's blue eyes locked with her for a brief moment before he turned towards the Wonder Trio who was all looking at him warily (Harry) and suspiciously (Ron). "Mind if I borrow her for awhile?" the Italian wizard had his bag over his shoulder already, clearly heading to class after having a word with Anya. A nod from Hermione later, Blaise took Anya's bag and with a raised eyebrow towards the main doors, he sauntered off. Hermione shot a 'don't-even-open-your-mouth' look at Ron who was clearly going to ask something about what exactly was Anya's relationship with the dark Slytherin.

"We'll meet you at the doors," Hermione said. With a gracious smile towards her new friends, Anya got up from the table, not noticing the appreciative glances some male students were giving her. The Wonder Trio was left looking at her retreating back

"Reckon what's going on between the two of them?" Ron bluntly asked when Blaise leaned in towards Anya, whispering something in her ear. "They must be at least friends. We did met them buying their books together, remember Ron?" Hermione reminded her friend." Friends? I'll bet with you guys that they're more than that." Harry said, his emerald green eyes never leaving the pair of the talk, not knowing that he had almost guessed the truth. Anya and Blaise were more than friends, he was the only person who knew her real relationship with Draco, a possession, a mere belonging and sometimes, having someone who knew her dirty little secret yet still treated her with utmost respect, made Anya feel better.

"Just want to warn you that Draco is in a bad mood, feeling murderous and all," Blaise whispered into Anya's ear, not wanting to have anyone eavesdropping on them. He pulled away, his midnight blue eyes looking over her shoulders, not missing the fact that a certain blond was looking at him with a look that nearly matched the death glare that Harry Potter had received the night before.

"And you think this have something to do with me?" Anya asked a raised eyebrow as a sign of inquiry. As her back was facing the Great Hall, she didn't notice that the Head Boy was looking at them. Behind her, the students begin standing up, each heading to their respective first class of the year. Seeing that Harry, Ron and Hermione were coming nearer, Blaise gave Anya one last warning.

"Just don't get friendly with other guys okay. Draco can be a bit ... possessive," handing back Anya her bag, he gave her one last look before heading off towards Potions (all the 7th year students who's taking Potions has the same period, this goes the same for other subjects). Anya was left pondering the warning but the arrival of the three Gryffindor didn't give her much time to do so. Hermione and Ron was bickering about, yes, the Head Boy again." Honestly Ron! He hasn't called me a mudblood or even insulted me. I think that he wants a quiet year for once," What Ron said after that wasn't very clear and Anya found Harry standing beside her.

"Come on Anya. Snape don't tolerate with tardy Gryffindors, especially with us," his eyes were friendly and enchanting in its own way, just like Draco's. "You'll get used to them going on like that," he adds, seeing that Anya was looking at the bickering pair with faint amusement. Anya followed Harry to the dungeons but all the while Blaise's warning kept ringing in her head.

_Don't get friendly with other guys._

* * *

"Just go on without me. I can remember my way to the Great Hall from here," Anya urged Hermione on. Hermione looked over her shoulder, a tad worried." Are you sure? What if you took a wrong turn or end up somewhere else," she asked her new friend. For some reason, she felt a tad protective of her new friend; there was just something about Anya Zainudin that made Hermione want to protect her. Anya had to stay back at Prof. Vector's request, to discuss her level in Arithmancy in SEASOM and she suspected that it would take more than a mere minute or so. 

"If that happens, I'll just ask one of the ghosts for help," amusement sparkled in her dark eyes, SEASOM didn't have ghosts that walked through walls and students. It took Anya another minute before sending Hermione off to the Great Hall, the brunette walked slowly among the crowd in the hallway, all eager to fill their empty stomachs with dinner.

Anya walked down the now deserted hallway, reading the titles of books on Arithmancy that Prof. Vector had recomended her to read in order to catch up with the other students. The sounds of her footsteps resonated against the walls as she passed by the many empty classrooms. As she walked by an empty doorway, a pair of arms suddenly grabbed her from behind, wrapping themselves around her waist, pulling her into the classroom. The door slammed behind her and Anya found herself in a dark room, her back against the wall, pushed up by someone that she couldn't see, most probably male, judging by strength. Her immediate reaction was normal, just what any other girl would do if someone they couldn't see grabbed them from around the waist and pulled them into a dark room, scream as loud as she could.

But before she could scream for more than a mere second or two, a cool hand clamped itself over her mouth and her nose as well. Anya tried to struggle, her arms trying to push her kidnapper off but failing as the person was just too strong. Void of any fresh oxygen supply, Anya felt herself losing consciousness, slipping away to darkness. She fell into a pair of strong arms and the last thing she heard before slipping away was,

"Bloody hell."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Here it is!! The new chappie. I'm sorry for the 8 moth delay but few things came up. Exams, laziness, writer's block and all. Well, I'm trying to make the chapters longer so it will take time. Beside that I also have another story I'm planning to write ever since few moths ago so my time will be divided for this, that story and other HP fics: one shots and a long one which I intend to finish before posting it here. Well, please read on and tell me what you think. Then, review me. Thank you!**

The Great Hall was nearly full with hungry students, all eager to settle down to their first dinner of the school year. Apparently, the first day of school had been very tiring with all the schedules and pep talks from the teachers about how important this year was. A lone figure walked over to the Gryffindor table, slightly staggering under the weight of half of a dozen books until a green-eyed wizard rose from his seat and took the burden from her arms.

"Whoa Mione. What's all this? You got an exam already coming up?" Harry asked her teasingly as he went back to his meal of chicken chop and mash potatoes.

The brunette wearily took the empty seat beside Ron who was so busy tucking into his dinner that the redhead only grunted a greeting to the Head Girl.

"What? Oh no, that's just the topics Prof. Vector said she's going to cover in next week's quiz,"

Hermione pulled a plate of fresh rolls towards her plate when Harry suddenly noticed the lack of Anya's presence.

"Where's Anya? I thought the two of you had Arithmancy together?"

His eyebrows furrowed together in faint concern as Hermione piled the food onto her plate.

"Prof. Vector asked her to stay back. She said that there's something that she should talk to Anya about."

"And you left her there, alone? When today is her first day here and she could have got lost in the hallways,"

"Harry, I don't think that Anya will-"

"If Ron here, who has been here for six years, got lost on his way to the bathroom this morning…" Harry ignored the protest from his redhead friend and continued," What's the possibility of a new student like her getting lost in Hogwarts?"

Hermione wrinkled her eyebrows at her friend who seemed to be getting more and more paranoid by the day. The way he talked sometimes made her wondered whether he had been having chats with Alastor Moody on constant vigilance.

"I'm sure that if she does get lost, which is impossible because she just have to cross the garden in front of the Arithmancy classroom and take a left turning to enter the Entrance Hall, the ghosts or portraits would be more than willing to show her the way."

"Unless it's Peeves that she meets," Ron interjected once his mouth was thankfully empty; all the food in it had been chewed thoroughly and swallowed with as much as dignity as he could.

Hermione shot a don't-you-dare-go-and-make-Harry-more-worried look at him but he only rolled his eyes.

"Hermione, Hermione. I don't think you get what our dear Harry is saying. It's not actually the getting lost in the hallways part that he's worried about, it's about who will she meet in the hallways and it's not the ghosts and portraits that's on our minds,"

For the first time, Ron sounded matured beyond his age and that made Harry and Hermione gaped at his sudden act of maturity but that glorious moment soon vanished into thin air when Ron rolled his eyes and lets out a snort.

"Come on Mione, you have to admit that Anya is one of a heck of a stunner. Don't you think that some lunatic admirer of hers would just grab her as an attempt to get to know her?"

Harry's vivid green eyes glanced towards Hermione, as if saying 'who's the paranoid one now?' before he cleared his throat and proceed to ask the redhead a question that to Hermione had the purpose of entertaining him.

"Urm ... and who do you have in mind as her potential ... lunatic admirer, Ron?"

Ron waved his fork in the air in an offhand manner before answering.

"It could be any straight guy in the castle. It could be Ernie, any of the Slytherins except for Zabini cos he's her friend, as she says so though I do suspect something else there It could even be Snape,"

"Eww. Snape having a thing for a student? That is plain disgusting Ron! Thanks for putting a mental image of him salivating over her,"

Harry and Ron both snickered at Hermione's disgust at the thought of their Potions Master having a 'thing' for Anya. But, Harry realized that something Ron said could be true. It could be a Slytherin. The same train thought was running through the Golden Trio's mind, each not knowing how right they were at that moment.

* * *

"Bloody hell," 

Once again, Draco Malfoy found himself in the awkward situation where he was carrying an unconscious Anya in his arms; once again because he had apparently scared her. _At least Mother is not here to lecture me this time_. He looked around the empty classroom, practically squinting his eyes before he spotted the large teacher's table. In few large strides, he laid her gently on the wooden surface. He took out his wand from his pocket and muttered 'Collopurtus' at the door's direction, the squelching sound guaranteeing that no unwanted company could come in the room without warning. Another flick of his wand and half of a dozen candles appeared floating in the middle of the room, above the teacher's desk, the wicks burning lazily.

Draco stood at the end of the wooden table, his grey eyes looking at Anya for the first time since the train ride to Hogwarts without the fear that someone would catch him in that act. The light provided from the candles gave her face a beautiful glow, bringing his attention to her lips that Draco couldn't help remembering how sweet they had tasted when he had kissed her that night. Even the smallest remembrance of that night would set his mind into a full-blown memory of that night. How soft her skin was when he had run his hand over the contours of her body. How warm she was when she had cuddled into him after he had marked her. How he had wished that there would be repeats that wouldn't required a lust potion but ... the possibility of that happening again was as close as Lucius admitting that he's been in love with Harry Potter for all this time.

Draco walked around the table, leaning closer so that he could smell that scent that was uniquely hers. Oddly, he had only noticed it after he had marked her, the faint smell of green apples that was uniquely hers. Maybe, one kiss wouldn't hurt anyone. She probably won't even know that he had stolen a kiss from her lips. He leaned even closer, diminishing the space between them until their lips were only an inch apart but apparently Lady Luck had decided that she didn't want to be on Draco's side and when Anya's eyelashes started fluttering slightly, the Slytherin jumped back a feet, away from his goal whose eyelids were slowly opening.

The first thing that she saw was the candles floating over her. For a moment, she thought she was somewhere else but her mind flashed back to few minutes ago. Of her walking down the corridor alone. Of someone pulling her into a dark classroom, the door slammed shut, his hand against her mouth as she was pinned against the wall. His skin against hers.

:" Draco?"

She called out softly to the room before getting up from her current position to sit at the edge of the desk, her legs swinging over the edge as her eyes adjusted to the half dark classroom. He was standing a few feet away from her, his grey eyes looking intently at her and once again, his gaze sent a shiver through her body for no apparent reason. He saw the shiver.

"I didn't mean to scare you,"

* * *

"Where's Draco?" 

Only when Pansy had asked their group at the table where the Head Boy was did Blaise noticed his absence. He had been too occupied with his dinner to notice that one of their seventh year gang was not there. Beside him, Theodore Nott looked up from his meal, offering a brisk answer that couldn't be defined as helpful.

"We had Arithmancy before this but he left the class first when the bell rang. I thought he was so hungry,"

Blaise glanced at the Gryffindor table, his eyes searching for a shock of messy black hair, red hair and a head of bushy brown hair. But there was no sign, of Anya. Oh no. He couldn't. He shouldn't. He wouldn't. After what he had said that the two of them should never ever be seen in public together. But what about in private? The halls were guaranteed to be deserted at this time. He turned to face Theodore, making sure that Pansy was too vexed about Draco's whereabouts to noticed him asking quietly.

" Theo, I was wondering, who else was in your Arithmancy class?"

He knew it wasn't really big as it had the reputation to be a difficult class so he was sure his friend could remember his classmate. Theo shrugged,

"Not many. Few Ravenclaws, me, Draco, the Head Girl and oh yeah, the new girl from Gryffindor."

He would.

* * *

"Mother sent this over this morning. She remember how much you favored them," 

"You dragged me into a classroom, scared me to half death just to give me a box of chocolate frogs?"

Draco didn't looked at her, instead he looked at her legs, noticing the irate in her tone but when he chanced a glance at her face, there was a smile. That smile. The smile that he usually sees when he gives her a book to read in her room, when she won the game of chess or whenever he did her a small, insignificant favor. He liked it. He could feel his lips moving to form a small smile when suddenly Anya leaped into his arms, her scent surrounding him as she hugged him. She pulled away after a short while, a faint blush in her cheeks as if surprised with what she just did.

"Thank you,"

She stashed the box into her satchel, well aware that his eyes were still on her. Blaise's warning came ringing once again in her head on how possessive a Malfoy could be. Draco extended his hand towards her, taking her right wrist into his grasp as he push down the black sleeve, revealing the dragon on her skin. His mark. He traced the mark with his finger gently in a caress-like movement. Anya stood there, transfixed as Draco raised her hand to his mouth. She didn't do anything when he pressed his lips against her wrist, kissing the mark as his grey eyes looked deep into her dark ones. In one short moment, she felt waves of desire that couldn't possibly be hers. The feeling of lust was so powerful that for a second, she felt like grabbing Draco and kissing him deeply but the feeling disappeared just as sudden. She quickly yanked her hand from his grasp when he loosened it, her eyes wide.

"You better get going, Anya. You don't want the Golden Trio to put up a rescue team on you first day here,"

* * *

"What did Prof. Vector said?' 

Harry looked at Anya's face as the girl answered Hermione's question. Her face was slightly flushed yet her voice and manner was decidedly calm as if she had put that manner on. She was still wearing the black gloves as she ladled the food onto her plate, her dark eyes determinedly looking at the crockery. Only before she started eating did she finally take off the gloves and Harry found himself looking at her hands curiously. Searching for any signs that they contained disfigurement that had forced her to wear the gloves but there was nothing. Nada. Her fingers looked normal, there were only ten of them so ... why is she hiding them constantly. Something black and silver caught Harry's eye, peeking from the sleeve of Anya's right arm but Anya shook back the sleeve to cover the tiny sliver of her exposed skin before Harry could take a closer look.

" Do you want me to accompany you to the library when you're looking for the books?"

Ron snorted at Hermione's offer, covering it with a hasty cough when the brunette turned to looked at him shrewdly.

"Anything wrong, Ron?"

"Nothing," the redhead answered sheepishly, discreetly sharing an eye roll with Harry after Hermione continued her conversation with Anya.

"Thanks for the offer Hermione. Who else better to help me than you, frequent library's visitor?"

"Library's visitor? I think she spends more time than she spends in her bedroom"

Ron muttered under his breath and Harry who caught it laughed loudly.

* * *

" Where were you?" 

Blaise hissed into Draco's ear after he had pulled back the blond to walk behind the group of seventh year Slytherins that were leaving the Great Hall after the meal. Draco had arrived at the table, looking as if he hadn't arrived half an hour late. Instead, he took the empty seat beside Goyle, purposely a few seats away from Pansy. He had shot Blaise a not-now-later look when he saw the Italian looking at him curiously.

"Well, I got something to do..." The Head Boy answered vaguely but at the piercing look from his friend, "Okay. I had to talk to Anya."

"What? I thought that you said that the two of you won't-"

"I know what I said Blaise but Mother had to send a box of chocolate frogs for her,"

"And you couldn't asked me to pass it to her?"

"Well-"

"And you couldn't used an owl?"

"Okay! I just wanted to make sure that the mark on her wrist hasn't been giving her discomfort. Satisfied?"

Draco glared at Blaise, his grey eyes hot and under his scrutiny, Blaise nodded but he didn't believe one word. He knew that Draco had another reason.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey! This is the next chapter and it is a bit longer than usual but I guess you won't complain. Hehe. The seventh book's title had been revealed and it's Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (sp?). Well, I don't really have the mood to type right now so I hope you guys enjoy this and Happy New Year! Please review after this because I think that this fic has a lack of readers which means lack of reviews.**

"Mind if I join you?"

Anya looked up from her Potions essay, a sugar quill between her lips, as she reread the paragraph she just wrote. She took the candy out of her mouth with a smile, "Sure," She pushed aside some of her books and parchments to make some space for the newcomer.

"Thanks,"

Harry took the seat opposite her, disposing his bag on the empty chair beside him. He pulled out his Transfiguration textbook, an inkwell, a quill and a long piece of parchment. The first week of their seventh year had passed with the heaviest load of homework they had ever seen and even Hermione had muttered that she was getting a bit behind with her schedule, which is finishing the homework the day it was given. Tonight however, was the first prefect weekly meeting, which would be followed by other meetings on every Friday night in the future. Ron's reluctant departure from the Gryffindor common room for the meeting had brought Harry to the library as an attempt to complete at least one out of four of the essays of the week. Entering the library, he had saw Anya's head bent over an essay, completely looking at ease in the library. Maybe another Hermione, Harry had pondered for a while before approaching the table.

He flipped the pages to the first chapter and dipped his eagle quill into his inkwell, writing ' _The Difference between Transfiguring Inanimate Objects to Animate Objects and Vice Versa_' at the top, underlining the title twice. His green eyes managed to sneak a look at Anya's gloved hands before he started reading the chapter, scanning for information among the complicated and confusing words. Their two quills made scratching noises against their parchments as they both struggled in their own way to complete the essay. Anya put down her quill, pulling the parchment closer as she reread it again. Across from her, Harry finally completed his shorter essay with a satisfied smile. It had been one hell of an essay and the Boy-Who-lived didn't have the desire to start tackling Snape's essay. He looked up when his name escaped from Anya's lips. She was looking at him with an intrigued look in her dark eyes.

" Yes?"

" Well ... I was wondering about Hermione ... and Ron. Is there something between the two of them?"

There was a slightly abashed look on her face as if she's embarrassed at asking such a question but Harry merely laughed, shaking his head.

" They're just friends. I think they tried to go deeper last year but it didn't work out,"

" Really? Pity though, they looked good together,"

" Everyone had been saying that but the two of them were so oblivious to it until they became too close as friends for anything else to happen. Seamus lost a bet to me though. He said they would get together but that got me five galleons,"

Harry smiled at her, his own mind bugging him to ask a question of his own. The question that had been walking around in his mind ever since he had met Anya at the bookshop in Diagon Alley. His curiosity had grown even stronger on the train ride to school yet he had managed to hold his tongue throughout the week. Usually, it was Ron who was so blunt yet this time, the redhead didn't share the same thoughts with him on the matter. Ron had told him to just wait for Anya to tell them herself but when Harry Potter had got his mind on something, he had to let it out. The question was already on the tip of his tongue, just waiting for his voice to function when Blaise suddenly appeared at Harry's shoulder. Talk about bad timing, Harry cursed the Slytherin in his mind as he gave Anya a sealed scroll of parchment.

" This just came after dinner,"

Anya gave him a quizzical look before tapping the scroll with her wand. Once opened, the scent of cinnamon became distinctive to the three of them. Immediately, Anya knew the letter came from one Bianca Zabini. That smell of cinnamon had been the first thing that had struck Anya, apart from her beauty. Secretly, she loved that smell, it was comforting in a way that made one wants to spill their thoughts to Bianca. And that what she is, a confidante, just like Narcissa who had managed to make Anya felt comfort and even safety at some times during the period of her stay at the Malfoy manor.

"Thanks," Anya re-scrolled the letter, putting it into her bag with the intention to read it later in the privacy of her four poster bed. Blaise nodded, a hint of his enigmatic smile on his lips before he walked towards the library door. Apparently, the prefect meeting had taken most of his energy of that night and his bed was looking very desirable at that moment.

"Who was it from?"

"Oh, Bianca Zabini, Blaise's mother. She's quite nice although the number of her ex-husbands can be a bit frightening," Anya joked, amusement in her dark eyes as the two Gryyfindors laughed together. Harry glanced towards his watch.

" Guess that Ron and Hermione had arrived back at the common room, the Head Girl did promise that she will hang with us tonight instead of being coped up with the ferret in their private common room for another night. I can't wonder how she stands him although she insists that he's better than before," Harry missed the look on Anya's face.

* * *

She lay back on her bed, her head on the soft down pillows. The velvet curtains had been pulled around her bed, guaranteeing her privacy although she knew that there was no danger in anyone spying on her as she could hear the steady breathings of her sleeping dorm mates ever since she had trudged up the spiraling staircase sleepily, dragging her satchel along as she entered the dormitory she shared with Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. Her own bed was at the farthest end of the room and she quietly took of her black robes to reveal the white blouse and black plaid skirt, black leggings and black shoes. She changed into her sleeping clothes, which happened to be Draco's shirt that she had slept in on her first night at the Manor, which she found oddly comforting, and a pair of pajama pants. Her shoes and leggings had been kicked off before she climbed into the large bed, pulling the curtains around her. 

True to Harry's words, Ron and Hermione had been waiting for them at the chairs near the fireplace, wondering where the two of them were. Hermione had beamed when Harry had told her that the two of them were at the library, completing their homework while Ron had merely gave a Ron-ish look at his friend. Apparently, it had become a tradition for the trio to gather at the common room on the first Friday night of every month and talked till early morning. For the first time, they had included someone else and Anya felt it was an honor for the three to trust her and offer their friendship although she knew her relationship with Blaise had raised their eyebrows. She would have to tell them soon that she were only friends with the dark Slytherin but without a mention of how they became friends and why. She couldn't imagined what they would say if they knew she and Blaise had bonded due to the fact that she's Draco's gift.

The four of them had sat together in front of the fireplace, talking and laughing. The trio had told her about their adventures in their earlier years and she in return had told them about her years at SEASOM, how happy she was there compared to when she was at her foster parents' home. She had saw understanding in Harry's enchanting green eyes when she had told them how they had treated her after she had gotten her acceptance letter to SEASOM.

" But why did you transferred to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.

_I made a deal with Draco .I gave him my virginity so he could mark me as his and in return I could come and study in Hogwarts._

" Well, SEASOM had this program for interested sixth years. They can apply to take their seventh year at another school such as Hogwarts, Durmstrang, Salem and others."

"Why did you choose Hogwarts?"

_Draco studies here and by following him, I'm safe from his evil bastard of a father._

"Aside from being quoted as one of the greatest wizarding school led by an eccentric wizard who happens to be a genius, I find your accents easier to understand compared to the French and Bulgarian,"

The gathering had come to a stop when they saw it was already two in the morning. Hermione had opted to using the secret passage from the Gryffindor common room that lead right to the Heads' Common Room.

" Goodnight," The saying had been echoed few times before she finally decided to take the trip to her room, to her very desirable bed.

She looked at her hands, still in the black gloves. She had gotten accustomed to them that the piece of clothing now felt like part of her body, part of her skin. Slowly, she took them off, disposing the woolen cloth underneath her pillow where she could grab it the first moment she wakes every morning. They looked eerie to her. Her hands looked as if they didn't belong to her, they looked so pale to her. She turned her right hand to faced her palm, her dark eyes looking at the mark. The dragon was curled up into a comfortable position and she could see its nostrils slightly flaring as the dragon slept. Slowly, she rubbed her finger over the mark and the dragon rubbed itself contentedly, like a cat rubbing against one's leg. A chuckle escaped her lips at the sight of the beautiful dragon acting like a cat.

She couldn't helped but to remember the moment Draco had laid his lips on it, his tongue darting out to touch her wrist for one short moment. She remembered how she had felt such want, such ... longing for that short moment and that had scared her. Flashes of the night of lust with Draco had appeared in front of her mind's eye, memories that she had hoped to had faded away. But what had frightened her most was the look of knowing when she had jerked her hand out of his grasp. It was as if he knew what had gone through her body.

* * *

Hermione crept across the private common room that she shared with Draco, the secret entrance from the Gryffindor common room closing behind her, sealing silently and only leaving a blank wall there. She threw her bag onto the couch in front of the fireplace carelessly, heading for the small kitchen for a midnight snack before turning in for the night. She rummaged in the cupboards lining the wall for the plate of cookies that the house elves send fresh every day. After a short moment of searching, Hermione pulled out the plate and grabbed a glass from another cupboard. She placed it on a black counter top and said clearly, "Warm milk" and watched the glass filled with milk coming from thin air. She picked up the plate of cookies in one hand while the glass of milk in the other hand and headed for the semi dark common room and nearly jumped out of her skin, dropping the unbreakable glass to the floor with a heavy thud. 

" Malfoy! Next time you decide to stand there in the middle of the night please turn on the light or something!" A pale faced Hermione hissed as she bent down to clear the mess on the carpet, picking up her empty glass. Thankfully, the cookies were safe. She straightened up, noticing that the blond still hadn't moved from his spot at the bottom of the staircase leading to their room.

"Are you sleepwalking or something Malfoy?"

Something snapped in Draco's face before he answered her in a dull voice.

"Gods. I didn't know that getting a snack in the middle of the night is breaking the rules. How many points are you going to take from me?"

Somehow, his retort didn't sound as offensive as it should. Draco walked to the kitchen Hermione following him as her drink was no longer drinkable, soaked in the carpets. She put the plate of cookies in front of her after refilling her glass with milk once again.

"Want some?" Only Hermione Granger would even considered asking Draco Malfoy whether he wanted any cookies. Draco wiped the remains of pumpkin juice from his lips before nodding. He took one and bit into it, the delicious buttermilk taste attacking his taste buds.

'Not bad," he commented, taking another cookie from the plate. Hermione smiled, chewing her own cookie with relish. She took a sip of her warm milk when Draco finally noticed the robes she's wearing.

"Late night at the library?"

Coming from Draco, the query could be defined as friendly, considering the fact that for the past six years he had treated her and her friends like dirt but ... this year, he was different. Hermione had noticed that ever since the train ride to Hogwarts, where the Slytherin didn't sneered at her, didn't call her mudblood or even insulted her. Instead, he had been in a subdued mood, looking at the scene of the countryside wistfully, as if wishing to be somewhere else. Blaise Zabini had passed their compartment once, talking to Anya and Draco had jumped out of his seat, pulling the door open and called Blaise with urgency. The two of them had a hurried whispered conversation before Draco had resumed his previous position, looking outside the window.

"Library? No. I spend some time at the Gryffindor common room talking with Harry, Ron and Anya,"

That was all it took for the somehow easy atmosphere between the co-Heads to just disappear into thin air. Hermione could sense the sudden stiffness in Draco's once relaxed manner.

'Really? I can imagine Potter ogling that Zainudin girl all night. I swear I can see the saliva dribbling during mealtimes,"

" That's very rude of you, Malfoy!"

Draco snorted with disbelief.

"Haven't you noticed Granger? Your best friend had been so caught up in staring at her that it's more pathetic than that Ravenclaw seeker,"

" Who's best friend is it that keeps hanging out with Anya then? Last time I checked it was Zabini. From what I've seen, the two of them are quite cozy together," Hermione had her hands on her hips, an eyebrow raised.

" It's totally up to Blaise who he associates with," Draco said coldly, putting the empty glass that once held pumpkin juice on the countertop before leaving Hermione alone in the kitchen. Ok. That was weird. It's obvious that he doesn't approve his best friend being friendly with a muggleborn.

* * *

He had always liked the view from the window of the Headmaster's office. One could see the sun rising from the horizon in the early morning and the first time he saw it was in his fifth year, it had taken his breath away. That was something to say as he wasn't really someone who appreciated the beauty of nature. He was more of the 'appreciating the curses and horrors that the wizarding world has' type. Not that he would ever admit to anyone even when he's standing at the edge of a dangerous cliff that he enjoyed standing at this particular window. But on that particular morning, he nearly lost himself in the view of the rising sun until he heard a very familiar cough from behind him. 

"Perhaps you could tell me what has been bothering you for the past week, Severus?"

Severus Snape, infamous Potion Master of Hogwarts who was most of the lower years' students nightmares by the end of their first week at Hogwarts turned from the lovely morning view to face Albus Dumbledore who was sitting behind his desk, a mild look on his face as if it was normal for him to be called by one of his staffs before breakfast.

" It concerns the new student, Miss Zainudin, Albus,"

" I find her a very intriguing student." Prof. Dumbledore stated matter of factly.

" Did you notice as well, Headmaster?"

"Depends on what you're going to tell me, Severus,"

Snape took a deep breath, wondering for a short moment whether what he had sensed were true, not just a figment of his imagination that had been caused from the fumes that

were constantly wafting around in the dungeons.

" There's something different about her. I sensed it when she first came into my class,"

Prof. Dumbledore remained silent, indicating the dark-haired man to continue while looking mildly interested.

" It's like she had this protection spell on her but it's not a general one. It's like the spell were put on her by ... someone else,"

" Do you know this protection spell?"

"No, but ... I find it a bit familiar, as if I've seen it before,"

Prof. Dumbledore laced his fingers together; his blue eyes seemed to be lost in thought for a short moment before he looked up at Prof. Snape, the twinkle back in his blue eyes.

"I knew that Miss Zainudin would come to Hogwarts with a protection spell on her and I know why."

"You knew?"

Prof. Dumbledore nodded." She's in a very odd ... situation Severus and I can assure you that it's not with her own willingness."

"How did you found out?"

"Before the year started, someone reliable sent me a letter explaining about Miss Zainudin and asking me to keep it as a secret."

"Does she know that you have that piece of information?"

"No,"

" Are you planning to talk to her about it, Albus?"

"Not at all. She's gone through enough without knowing that I know about her situation,"

"But ... can't you do anything about it?"

"Sad to say Severus, that lays in the hand of another student,"


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hey! This is the next chapter and it's the longest so far. I'm trying to make the chapters long so there will be more story happening. Why? This is because I have National Service in mid March and it's for 3 bloody months and there's no way I can write during that time. If I'm lucky, this fic will be completed before I go but I have a feeling that it won't. I hope you enjoy this chapter because I enjoyed writing it, especially the library scene. **

Dear Anya,

I decided to send this letter via Blaise. I hope you're happy at Hogwarts as a Gryffindor. Yes, Blaise told me. Although he's slightly disappointed that you're not a Slytherin, both of us think that the lion is the best one for you. Narcissa told me that she sent some chocolate frogs via Draco, we remember how much you enjoy them. Here at the Zabini Manor where I'm all alone with the company of house elves only, we, which is me and Narcissa, decided that we would love to send you anything that you might want let it be robes, books or chocolate frogs. If you are in any need of some spending money, just tell my son and he will get some from Draco. I know how awkward it can be with your situation with Draco and everything so I hope that if you ever had the desire to talk to someone about it, both Narcissa and I are at your disposal. Just send a letter to one of us and we'll get back to you. Well, good luck for your coming weeks.

Bianca Zabini

* * *

"It's not that I hate Potions, it's just that I hate the teacher and some of my classmates, you know the ones wearing a green and silver tie." Ron whispered to Anya behind his hand as Prof. Snape took attendance of the seventh year class that only consisted of ten students, the minority being two Ravenclaws that Anya knew now as Terry Boot and Padma Patil, Parvati Patil's twin sister. Anya couldn't helped but giggled at the redhead's comment and in the silence of the class with exception of the Head of Slytherin calling out names, the noise brought attention to her. 

"And may I know what do you find so amusing Ms. Zainudin?" his voice sounded smooth and silky, yet dangerous, like a black python slithering on the ground towards its helpless prey. Nine pair of eyes was redirected on Anya, most of them sympathizing while some were full of glee. Snape's eyes however, were blank of emotions, similar to the pair of grey eyes that belonged to the Head Boy. She could feel the attention on her, it was getting thicker by the moment until,

"Sorry, sir." Her dark eyes connected for a short second with the teacher's onyx ones before Snape turned away, motioning towards a medium-sized cauldron which had steam rising in spirals from it. The heavy attention shifted away from Anya, to her relief. Ron caught her eyes from his seat beside her and mouthed an apology before returning his attention to the front of the classroom.

"What you have here is the famed and definitely illegal for you to brew Amortentia. And if you had even bothered to read the textbook, you would know that it is the most powerful love potion in the world. Can anyone give me the signs of this potion in order for you to recognize it?" He managed to miss Hermione's hand that was eagerly waving in the air as he looked at the four Slytherins, two Ravenclaws, Harry, Anya and Ron before finally, as a last resort called on the Head Girl.

"Miss Granger,"

"Well, the steam will be rising in characteristics spirals and the potion will have a mother-of-pearl sheen to it. It also supposed to smell differently to each individual, this is-"

Prof. Snape silenced her with a wave of his hand, not even awarding her points but the Gryffindors were used to it after six years of Potions, they didn't even uttered a word of protest. "And why is that Mr.Zabini?"

The dark Slytherin looked up from his seat beside Draco and cast his blue eyes on the teacher. "Hmm... because... it signifies what we are attracted to," he answered after a moment pondering the reason in his mind. Prof. Snape managed a smirk as he awarded 5 points for answering such an easy question.

" And that is what I want you to do today. I will partner you up and then you will tell your partner what the Amortentia smells like to you. You will make a conclusion on what you think your partner are attracted to in someone based on their answer and this can only be done by a discussion with your partner once you both had take turns in inhaling the fumes of Amortentia and I would like a reasonable length essay by Wednesday. Understand?"

A low murmur of understanding went through the room before Snape picked up the clipboard again and ran a pale finger down the list, calling out the pairs. "Potter and Malfoy, Weasley and Patil, Bulstrode and Boot, Granger and Zabini, Zainudin and Nott," The look on his face told the ten students that he would not change their partners even if they gave him a million galleons or a harem full of nubile virgins throwing themselves at his feet. Wait, he 'll probably give the latter a second thought. Grudgingly, they moved towards their respective partners after a bit of arguing who should move and who should stay.

Anya moved from her seat to sit beside Theodore Nott, a stringy looking boy with a lock of black hair falling over his forehead, his greenish grey eyes looking at her silently, as if analyzing her. Behind her, Harry was just sitting down on Blaise's just vacated seat beside Draco. At the table beside her, Blaise was twirling a quill in his hand as Hermione said something to him, probably something about the potion. He nodded to whatever she said before his blue eyes caught Anya's and gave her a sly wink and a smile. Anya smiled back at him and heard an irritant cough from behind her. She turned around to see Harry glancing curiously at Draco from the corner of his eyes, who was determinedly looking at the open textbook on the table. Odd. She swore that cough sounded like Draco's.

Prof. Snape called on the partners to take their turns at smelling the Amortentia and often the student in turn would have looks of contentment on their faces, a slow, lazy smile on their faces. Anya and Theodore were the last duo to be called on and they both moved to the cauldron, with a half wary, half excited looks on their faces. "You first." Theodore said softly, the first words he uttered to her. Anya nodded and leaned forward to breathe in the fumes, closing her eyes so that she could concentrate solely on her smelling sense. "Fresh silk sheets," she whispered, an image of white silk sheets forming in her mind's eye, beckoning her to run her hand on the smoothness. She took another whiff, "Peppermint and ..." she wrinkled her eyebrows, trying to place the last smell. " And ...something that smells like a type of wood, maybe mahogany," She opened her eyes to see Theodore looking at her curiously. "Interesting combination," he said before scribbling the three things in his slant handwriting on a piece of parchment.

"Your turn," Anya stepped away from the cauldron to give way to the Slytherin. She watched as the dark haired boy repeated her steps, inhaling with eyes closed. But unlike her, it only took one deep whiff for the Slytherin to identified the smell.

"Peaches, something tangerine and ink,"

"Ink?" Anya raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

"Just as weird as fresh silk sheets," Theodore shrugged his shoulders. Anya nodded. True.

* * *

"Rain, coffee and crumpets," Hermione told over lunch. The four of them were swapping information about what their partner had identified Amortentia as.

"Coffee and crumpets?" Ron said, an eyebrow raised as he swallowed a spoonful of his shepherd's pie.

"Well, Blaise do like drinking coffee. Maybe he wants someone who will appreciate his love for the beverage as well," Anya said as she picked up her goblet to take a sip of the pumpkin juice.

"But crumpets? English tea anyone?" Harry's remark made the others laughed.

"What about your partner? Nott?" The brunette witch asked Anya.

" Well, Nott said peaches, something tangerine and ... ink,"

"Ink?" Ron asked, as if his hearing had gone wrong for the past few seconds.

"Ink," Anya repeated, nodding her dark head.

"Maybe he wants someone who likes to write?" Harry said as Ron chuckled to himself.

"Or someone with ink stains on their hands," Hermione added.

"Blimey, these Slytherins are weird. What about Malfoy, Harry? Bet it was something like the smell of untainted blood or something..." Ron said suspiciously, looking at the silvery blond head at the Slytherin's table. Harry shook his head, pushing his glasses to stop them from sliding down his nose.

"Actually it was quite normal. No crumpets or ink. It was green apples, chocolate and fresh pillows. That combination is a bit ... "

"Homely, isn't it? A bit odd for the ultimate Slytherin," Ron said as he pulled a dish of treacle tart towards him.

" But what was odder was the fact that Malfoy kinda knew who he's attracted to when he listed what he smelled. As if he already knew what he would smelled."

"Green apples... Parkinson smells like roses. I had to sit beside her in Charms last week, remember?" Ron gave the other three a don't-tell-me-you've-forgotten-the-torture-I-had-to-went-through look.

"Please ... you can't possibly say that Malfoy is attracted to Parkinson, Ron," Hermione spat out the female Slytherin's name with apparent disgust.

" Who's Parkinson?" Anya asked, trying to remember the name in any of her conversations with either Draco or Blaise but nothing. Nada.

"Pansy Parkinson. She went to the Yule Ball with Malfoy back in fourth year and every single dance Dumbledore held and we," Ron indicated towards himself, Harry and Hermione before continuing, "know that the two of them are more like friends with benefits cos one night last year, Hermione and me caught the two of them shagging in an empty classroom,"

"Enough talking about Malfoy and his shenanigans with Parkinson. What about you, Anya? What did the most powerful love potion smelled like to you?" Hermione's sudden question made the attention focused on hers, all three of her companions held curiosity in their eyes.

"Well, erm ... nothing really special actually," She desperately wanted to avoid telling her friends what she smelled. But at the eager look on their faces, she decided that telling them that piece of information wouldn't be as hazardous as telling them that she belongs to Draco Malfoy, most hated wizard among the Gryffindors, her housemates.

"Fresh silk sheets, peppermint and something mahogany-like," Anya said.

"Fresh silk sheets?" Hermione repeated with amazement.

"Peppermint? Why is everyone smelling some type of food except for me?" Ron exclaimed.

"Mahogany-like?" Harry asked Anya.

" Yeah. Well, Nott said something about mahogany furniture and broomsticks ..." Anya answered vaguely, to be honest, she didn't really understood what the Slytherin had concluded about the third smell.

"Broomsticks? Maybe you're attracted to someone who rides a broomstick made from mahogany, then? Right, Ron?" Harry asked the redhead who nodded his head eagerly.

" We just have to find someone who rides whatever broomstick that's made from mahogany, have silk sheets and likes eating peppermint then," Hermione said brightly, as if they would find a wizard that fits all three requirements. With a sinking realization, Anya hoped they wouldn't. For in her mind, she already knew who the wizard could possibly be.

* * *

Draco slung his satchel over his shoulder as he stood up to leave the Slytherin table for his next class when a soft hand caught his. He looked down at the brunette, her dark brown hair was a chin length bob with baby blue eyes that looked back at him with promises of a night of pleasurable passion. 

"It has been a long time since we last spend time together, Draco," Her voice came out as a seductive purr to his ears as he looked at her face, noticing her beauty and her alluring curves for the umpteenth and wondered when was the last time he had spent time in her company. Her very pleasurable company indeed. He had been busy during the summer, before Anya's arrival and after Anya had arrived at the Malfoy Manor, there was no chance whatsoever to have her over. He didn't want the Slytherin beauty to find out about Anya and with Blaise being the only one that knew their real predicament, it was enough for him. When school had restarted, the first two weeks had been very hectic for the Head Boy with all his extra duties such as preparing a patrol schedule for the prefects from scratch alongside his co-Head. Time alone with the stunning witch in his room would be just right for him now.

"Sure, Pansy. How about my room tonight at nine thirty?"

Pansy gave him a smile before pulling his head towards her and kissed Draco fully on his mouth, her tongue swooping into his mouth. He laid a hand at the nape of her neck, pulling her closer as he tasted the dessert she just had for lunch. She was the one to pulled away, nibbling on the shell of his ear as Draco suppressed the moan from escaping his throat.

"Can't wait," she said seductively as her tongue slid over his lips.

"Coming Draco?" Blaise asked from the table's other side. Draco nodded before walking towards the Great Hall, his mind thinking of the night to come. From the corner of his grey eyes, he could see the Wonder Trio and Anya also heading for the door, towards the same class as him, Defense Against the Dark Arts. With a sudden burning in his guts, he saw Harry brushing something off Anya's shoulder, making the witch turn to face the scarred wizard, a small smile on her face. Her dark eyes locked for a second with Draco's grey ones before sliding to his right. She mouthed a greeting to Blaise who replied with a small wave of his. The burning in him doubled at that gesture and the moment Anya turned back to say something to Ron, Draco's elbow 'accidentally' made contact with Blaise's side, smirking with satisfaction when the dark Slytherin lets out a sound of pain.

" What was that for?" Blaise hissed, a hand on his side.

Being a Slytherin for more than six years had gave Draco a lot of training in being sly and cunning. Thus, the talent of lying through his teeth.

"Sorry, accident,"

Being a Slytherin for more than six years had shown Blaise the ways to detect a liar. Thus, the ability to know that his best friend was lying to him.

* * *

Defense Against the Dark Arts. The pink haired witch has got to be the weirdest teacher they had ever got in their seven years. She had strolled into their first class in her bright orange colored robe and had stumbled down the small set of steps right before their eyes. As she was insisting her students that she was fine and had no sprained ankles, she somehow managed to knock down the high stack of papers on her table. No wonder most of her students wouldn't believed that she was once an Auror before taking the post as their teacher until Prof. Dumbledore himself had said his gratitude to the witch for willing to leave her career as an Auror for awhile during a meal in the Great Hall. Perhaps, the wise wizard had knew about the suspicions his students held. 

Putting aside her clumsiness, her vibrant colored hair that sometimes can be quite an eyesore and her equally vivid colored robes, Draco had to admit that Prof. Nymphadora Tonks was a competent professor compared to some of her predecessors. today, she was revising the Unforgivable Curses with the seventh years, listing the three curses on the blackboard. From Draco's seat, he could clearly see that Harry Bloody Potter was sitting beside Anya.

"The Imperius Curse was famous back in You-Know-Who reign of terror as this curse enables you to control the person you cast the curse on,"

_I'll make that green eyed freak jump off the Astronomy Tower._

"The Cruciatus Curse was designed to torture a person without using any form of tools and with excessive use; a person could be tortured to madness with the pain."

_Hmm. I wonder how Potter will sound like screaming if I put him under the Cruciatus Curse?_

" And the last Unforgivable is the Killing Curse. There are no known ways of avoiding it,"

_Good. Potter can only avoid it once but this time, I'll get him_.

"It is said to be a fast and painless way to die,"

_Bad. I want him to die a slow and painful death. Maybe someone should emerge the Cruciatus Curse and the Killing Curse as one new curse. The guinea pig of the experiment? Potter would be perfect_.

Defense Against the Dark Arts sure seems to be a better and more informative class this year.

* * *

"I don't think he really likes you being friends with Zabini," Hermione suddenly whispered to Anya from across the table over her Ancient Runes' homework. The two witches had departed to the library after dinner with the intention of completing their runes translations with the aid of the vast collection of books in the library. 

"Who?" Anya paused in flipping through _Runes: What They Mean Volume I_, her dark hair tied back in a loose bun. Hermione answered by tilting her head to her right, indicating a wizard that was slipping into one of the many aisles of shelves, his silvery blond hair a dead giveaway of his identity.

"Malfoy?"

"Yeah. He said that it is none of his business who Zabini befriend but his face said something completely different," Hermione dipped the tip of her eagle feather quill into her inkpot before continuing ," But that's none of his business in my opinion. Zabini can be friends with whomever he wants."

Anya resumed her flipping through the pages but her mind was no longer on finding her answer, her dark eyes slightly glazed as she thought of the truth behind Hermione's statement. About Draco's 'disapproval' of her friendship with Blaise. Surely not. She had been friendly with the Italian ever since he first walked into her room through the door adjoining her and Draco's room. She had been taken with the wizard's dark blue eyes and was shocked at the slight hostility that Draco had shown towards his friend when he had came into her room moments later. It was more like protection, as if he was shielding her from something but after a while, she had noticed that Draco was okay with her being friends with Blaise. After all, it was his idea for her to go to Diagon Alley and sit in the same compartment on the train ride to Hogwarts with Blaise. To put it simply, it was because of Draco, she had a close friendship with Blaise.

Anya shook her head, placing a wall as a dead end to her musings. She began to translate the runes again before letting out a groan of frustration. A part of her homework was made out of runes that were only available in the second volume of the book.

"Hermione, do you have _Runes: What They Mean Volume II_ ?"

"Sorry, I don't but I saw it on a shelf at the last aisle of the Ancient Runes' section,"

Great, the most secluded area. Anya got up and head for the mentioned aisle, the air slowly thickening with the musty scent of ancient tomes and thick volumes. She ran her hand on the spines, her lips mouthing the title before her eyes finally caught sight of the book, nestled on the top shelf, a tad high for her. She stood on her tiptoes yet the edge of her wool clad fingers only managed to grazed the red hardback cover of the book. She cursed in her mind before trying again by giving a small jump. She still couldn't reach the book. She lost her balance but a pair of strong arms broke her fall.

" Thanks," Anya said after Theodore Nott set her back onto her feet. The Slytherin looked at her with his intelligent greenish grey eyes before nodding once.

"Which book is it?" he asked, in his quiet voice.

"_Runes: What They Mean Volume II_," Anya pointed towards the red book and being considerably taller than her, Theodore pulled the book out from his place with ease. He handed it towards her as she thanked him again. He nodded again before disappearing around the corner, heading towards the Transfiguration section. Anya started to retraced her steps back to her table, the book in her right hand but before she could take more than a dozen steps, she walked into someone, the book falling to the floor with a thud. "Sorry," Anya said as she moved to bend down to pick the book up but a hand grasped her arm, pulling her up.

His displeasure was obvious as Anya looked into Draco's grey eyes. She felt the wall against her back as Draco slowly pushed her against it, his face passive, the grip on her arm still tight. She tried to wriggled her arm out of his grasp but at the look on his face, she stopped.

" Draco..."

He said nothing but let her arm go, the slight pain diminishing already. He suddenly took her hands and peeled the gloves off, letting the pair fall to the floor, beside the forgotten book. He took her right hand and cupped his cheek with it, his eyes never breaking the contact with hers. He shifted to nuzzle his face against her palm, his other hand sliding to her waist. Anya couldn't pull away, as if she was a snake mesmerized by a snake charmer.

"What was that?" He asked, his voice hard.

"What do you mean?" She tried to hold the slight fear back. Sometimes, he reminded her of Lucius Malfoy.

" I saw you and Theodore. He had his arms around you..." He spat out his fellow Slytherin's name.

"He broke my fall and helped me get a book that I couldn't reach. And it's not like he could even touch me, right?"

Draco didn't answer her as he took booth of her hands and made her fingers entwined behind his neck as he leaned closer to her. Her breath got stuck in her throat when he buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her delicious scent. Green apples. He moved his lips against the soft skin of her neck, a smirk on his face when he felt the shiver ran through her body. He whispered against the soft shell of her ear,

"I didn't like that. I don't want you to be close with Theodore,"

Anya held back the small moan in her mouth as Draco's tongue slid out to licked her earlobe. She was thinking what would happen if someone saw them. What would Hermione say if she saw Anya and Draco together, in such an intimate position.

"Don't worry, nobody will see us," Draco trailed his lips to her mouth before covering them with his own, his tongue gaining entrance into her slightly open mouth, his body pressed closely against her.

"But, what I want to say is that I don't like it if you get close with other guys, Anya," He untangled her fingers and slipped back the gloves onto her hands. He picked up the book on the floor and handed it back to her. He leaned closer again, his lips against the skin where her shoulder connected with her neck, the neck of the robe pushed back slightly, nibbling and sucking the skin softly.

"Just remember Anya, you're mine. Not Potter's. Not Blaise's. Not Theodore's. Not anyone else's. Just mine."

"They can't touch me Draco. No guy can touch me except for you unless they want to experience pain just by having the slightest contact with my skin. All thanks to the dragon on my wrist."

"Exactly. That's why you're mine Anya," Draco pulled away, leaving another mark, a temporary one on her skin. He covered the skin with her robe. He brushed his lips against her before leaving her there. He didn't see Anya sliding to the floor, her hand touching the love bite on her skin. She could still taste the peppermint he favoured so much on her tongue.

Hermione's right. But it's not only Blaise. But every single guy. Blaise's right. A Malfoy is possessive.

**A/N: Please review if you want. Tell me what you think.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: First of all, I'm SO sorry for the long wait but several things came up but nothing life threatening. I got caught up in another fic and accidentally left this chapter for two weeks then I had my driving test and I passed! Just got my license few days ago and my parents let me drive around yesterday.Hehe. I found out where I have to go for my national service on the 18th of March and if you're interested, look for a map of Malaysia and I'm living in Selangor and I have to go to Sarawak for my national service so my parents are a bit worried about the distance although their daughter is excited. Right now, I'm writing the next chapter but my nerves are a bit jumpy because there's rumours that the exams are coming out on the 28th of February and I keep having dreams that I failed my Biology, Physics and Add. Math. Believe me, that dream is more frightening than a nightmare being chase by blood sucking vampires. Well, read on and I hope you like this chapter.**

The moonlight streamed into the room through the solitary window. On the canopy bed, laid a blond guy, who was sleeping soundly. Draco shifted closer to the warm body beside him but a moment later, he opened his eyes slowly, taking in the sight before him. The white silk sheets pooled from her waist to her knees yet it still offered him a lot to appreciate. His grey eyes swept from her bare shoulders to the length of her bare creamy back. He raised a hand and caressed her back, stopping at a hand shaped bruise at her hip. A smirk appeared on his face, remembering how wild they had been few hours ago, all that pent up sexual tension being released between them. Slowly, he shook her shoulder as a mean to rouse her from her sleep.

"Pansy, wake up. You have to get back to the dorm,"

It was an unspoken rule for Draco Malfoy. Ever since he discovered that he could get sexual pleasure from girls when he wanted to, he had made sure the girls who he shagged knew of this rule. He would never ever spend the night in a girl's bed and vice versa. He didn't want any of them to misinterpret the act of the two of them waking up, in the same bed, in the morning, as a form of intimacy. Simple as that. He gave them a great night and it ended there. No post coital hugging nonsense whatsoever.

The sexy brunette propped herself on one elbow to face him, her short dark hair disheveled from their recent activity. His eyes instantly trailed the love bites on her body, from the one on her neck, her breasts, her tummy to the one on her upper thigh. She smirked when she saw his intense gaze, running her hand on his bare chest, her fingernail scraping on a pale pink nipple, making Draco hissed in pleasure.

"Pansy," he attempted to warned her but as her hand move downwards this time, Draco lets out a moan before grabbing the hand by the wrist, pulling it away from the object of her ministrations. She pouted her ruby red lips and the young Malfoy couldn't help noticing how different they were compared to Anya's pinkish lips.

"Come on Draco..."

"It's late. You should get back to your dorm," Draco chanced a glance at the clock on the wall," It's two in the morning already and Snape could suddenly decide tonight's the night for bed check,"

"We have time Draco, for another round,"

Draco started to protest but when Pansy's dark head moved lower, her hot mouth all over his skin, his resolve crumbled. "Maybe once more won't be any harm," he moaned.

Half an hour later, the portrait guarding the entrance to the Heads' common room opened on its own from the inside. After a moment, it closed again, the little girl in the painting rubbing her sleepy eyes to only see the empty hallway but a pair of footsteps could be heard. Shrugging her shoulders, the little girl fell to deep sleep again, snuggling closer to the large cushion that had been painted beside her. In the Head Boy's room, the blond laid satisfied on his bed, thankful that he was a pro when it came to silencing spells and warding spells. Before he fell asleep, sated, he could only remember the kiss he shared with Anya in the library.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

* * *

"So, excited for your first Hogsmeade trip tomorrow?"

Hermione's question went unanswered as the witch in front of her was looking at her bowl of soup in a manner similar to the way Ron looked at a bowl of cereal on the morning of his first match as Gryffindor's Keeper. Her dark eyes watching the thick liquid dribble from her spoon into the bowl, creating tiny ripples as the drops fell to the surface. She was too occupied with what she was doing, that she didn't notice the looks exchanged between Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Erm, Anya?"

Anya's head jerked up when Harry said her name, a blank look in her eyes until she blinked a couple of times. She dropped the spoon into the bowl.

"Yes?"

"Something bothering you?" Hermione's brown eyes peered worriedly at her from her seat opposite of Anya. Anya noticed that Harry's green eyes and Ron's vivid blue eyes were looking at her in a similar manner.

The word 'nothing' was at the tip of her tongue when she saw a familiar figure rising from its seat at the Slytherin table.

"I'm just feeling a bit tired with all the work we're getting,"

Her eyes followed the tall figure which was making their way out of the Great Hall after having dinner. She had to go and get him before he got too far. She picked up her discarded gloves and rose from her seat, fumbling to put them on as the Golden Trio looked at her with bewilderment.

"I have to go,"

"What? Where? " Ron asked as Hermione turned to face the double doors of the Great Hall and saw the figure.

"I have to go and talk to ..."

"It's okay, we'll talk to you tomorrow. You are going to Hogsmeade, right?" Hermione suddenly cut Anya's feeble explanation, but there was some understanding in the Head Girl's eyes. She tilted her head towards the door and Anya saw a brief go-on smile before she left the trio, walking in long strides.

"What was that about?" Harry turned towards Hermione, his eyes questioning her.

"She's going through something. I don't know what but ever since Monday night, she's been like that." The brunette answered.

"And where she's going?" The redhead wizard asked, his mouth thankfully void of any food.

"To talk," There was a worried expression on the Head Girl's face as she closed the topic.

* * *

Blaise Zabini thought he would head for the library so he could get some of the heavy load of homework the teachers had set upon them to be done before the first Hogsmeade's visit tomorrow. He had left dinner quite early to head to the dungeons and take his satchel before heading for the library. The seventh year boys' dorm were as usual, a complete chaos on Goyle's and Crabbe's side while at his and Nott's side, the floor could be seen and there were no strange and freaky smells wafting around. Ever since third year, Crabbe and Goyle had been given a side of the room to share and a charm had been put on that area so that any smells from there wouldn't spread into the whole room.

The tall Italian grabbed his satchel from his bed and walked out of the dorm and climbed up the stairs for the common room and walked through the entrance. As he climbed the set of stairs that led to the landing outside the Great Hall, he searched for something in his satchel, his dark head looking into the mess the bag contained when he walked into someone. In a swift move, his hand lashed out to grab the person, whoever they was before they fall flat on the floor but the moment he caught the person's wrist, the skin on his palm felt as if it had been set on fire and as the pain spread throughout his hand, he let go of his hold and let out a stream of curses in his mother tongue as an immediate reaction as he cradled his hand, surprised to see no mark nor burn on the skin.

"Ow. That hurts, Blaise. Did you have to let me go?"

Anya got to her feet, rubbing her bottom gingerly as she looked at Blaise.

"That hurts? I felt like my hand was burning."

"What?" She grabbed Blaise's hand and ran her fingers on the palm. "I'm so sorry Blaise, you must have touched the skin where the glove weren't covering. God. This is the first time that part of the curse actually happens,"

"Trust a Malfoy to guard something with such jealousy,"

Anya stiffened slightly at that matter-of-fact statement and let go of Blaise's hand. She averted her eyes to the entrance of the Great Hall before looking back at Blaise's curious face.

"Anya, what's the matter?"

"I ... need to talk to you about something. "

"Sure. About what?"

"Erm, why don't we go somewhere more private...it's about Draco,"

Blaise had noticed how Anya had stiffened earlier and he could see the worried quality of her face and decided that his homework could wait for another day. He put his hand on her shoulder and led her to the staircase that led to the Great Hall. The moon shone onto the vast grounds as he brought her to a tree near the lake, a particular tree where he knew they were hidden from the castle's view unless someone knew where to look. The seventh year Slytherin had found out about the spot in his third year and had sometimes went there whenever he felt like it.

Blaise sat sideways to face the girl beside him who was looking at her gloved hands. It had been quite a few days since he last spoke to her in a lengthy conversation and he had assumed that she was swamped with the amount of homework like the whole year was.

"So... what did you want to talk about?"

Anya cleared her throat before looking at him and that was the moment when he saw the misery in her face.

"Well, your warning about Draco being possessive came true. He had a talk with me on Monday night,"

A talk with Draco Malfoy wasn't just a talk.

"What did he do?"

"Well, he had a problem..."

"What problem?"

"Of me being too close with some people..."

"Such as?"

"Harry and Theodore Nott for example,"

Blaise lets out a long breath before falling to the ground, looking up at the starry dark sky as he rest his head on his folded arms. Jealousy had always been a trait of his childhood friend. He could guess why Draco had a problem with Harry for as far as Blaise knew, the Boy-Who-Lived was quite close with Anya and it was common knowledge that Draco Malfoy hated Harry Potter. But ... what about Theodore Nott? What has the fellow Slytherin done to make the Head Boy insanely jealous? The only time the stringy wizard had talked to the girl beside him was during the Potion's lesson on Amortentia. That's all Blaise could think of.

"Anya, what did Theo do to make Draco feel that way about him?"

Anya hugged her knees close to her body, resting her chin on top as she looked at the lying figure of her friend. She deliberately didn't want tell him that Draco had said something about her not being Blaise's. She didn't want the wizard to know that his own best friend was jealous of his close relationship with her. But honestly, whose fault was it that she had to put on a mask in the matter of her relationship with Draco?

"Erm, I was looking for a book in the library and the book was on a shelf that was a tad too high for me," she stopped when she saw the smirk on Blaise's face and swiftly she kicked the soles of his right foot. "I'm not short okay! The shelves in the library are too high,"

"I didn't say anything," The smirk was still there.

"Anyway, I jumped after that and nearly fell down but Nott was there and he kinda ... caught me in his arms. And Draco saw that,"

Blaise lets out a low whistle before answering,

"No wonder he's been in quite a pissed mood with Theo these past few days. Everytime the lad sat down near him during meals, Draco would give him a look that made Theo move about a dozen seats away."

Silence as the two teenagers looked out onto the darken grounds.

"I told Draco that Nott can't touch me. So do Harry and other guys in the world. But he still insists that I'm ... his. Only his."

Her voice was cracked by then and she found her eyes burning for the first time ever since that night in the library. The night when she had felt such desire when Draco had touched her, his lips caressing her skin and lips.

"The way he said it that night was as if he thought of me as merely a ... possession of his. Like a statue in the garden, a painting on the wall,"

"Anya..."

A drop of hot tear fell onto Blaise's palm and he scooted to sit beside the crying girl, her shoulders shaking slightly as she hid her face on her knees. Slowly, Blaise put an arm around the girl, careful to make sure that there won't be any skin contact between them. He let the witch cry silently as his presence beside her was enough to tell her that she got a friend in him. When her sobs had lessened,

"Do you want me to talk to Draco about this? Ask him to chill a bit?"

She shook her head. That was the last thing she wanted. She was sure that Draco would probably get even more insanely jealous if Blaise came to him and told him to loose the possessiveness. Not to mention that he also had a problem with his friend being too close with her.

"No. I just had to get it off my chest,"

"That's why I'm here, my lady"

Anya let out a small giggle before answering, " Well, thank you my lord for listening,"

They were sitting so close now that Blaise could smell the green apple scent from Anya while she could see tiny mole on the side of his neck. They were sitting so close that if one of them leaned to the side, their faces would be touching, the side of her forehead would be resting on his cheek. But, neither of them even moved as they stared at the beauty of the lake, watching a lazy tentacle moving above the surface.

Blaise rummaged around in his pockets before pulling out his handkerchief, his initials sewn on a corner of the dark cloth. He handed it to Anya who took it after thanking him.

"We should head back in before the Wonder Trio comes out here looking for you, thinking the evil Slytherin has kidnapped you," Blaise said after a while. He got up to his feet and offered a hand to the witch. She had a smile on her face as she wiped the grass from her robes.

"Draco said something like that once when he pulled me into an empty classroom to give me the chocolate frogs his mother sends for me."

"He did?"

"Yeah but I don't think they regard you as the evil Slytherin ... well, maybe only Hermione. I think that Harry and Ron may have a bet going on concerning the true nature of our relationship,"

"Tell them we're half siblings that had only found out about each other this summer,"

"Or that we had been betrothed ever since birth and the wedding is going to be held during Christmas,"

"Or you're a representative from the mafia who's here to make sure that I'm not going to run from paying my debt,"

"Or that you donated one of your kidneys to me when we were kids and that had led to us feeling a connection between each other?"

"You can donate your kidney? Just like that? Why would someone do that?" Blaise asked, an aghast look on his face at the prospect of 'donating' kidneys.

"To save a life, duh. Muggles do it,"

"Well wizards don't. That reason is absurd,"

"Not as absurd as me being in a mafia?"

"No,"

"You're impossible Blaise. If only what we have is that simple,"

The two of them stopped outside the Great Hall where Blaise would take the staircase leading to the dungeons while Anya would take the grand staircase to head for Gryffindor tower.

"Blaise..."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being a friend,"

She shocked him when she wrapped her hands around him, her face buried in his chest. It was a hug. A simple hug that told him of her gratitude. He was careful to make sure that his hands wouldn't come in contact with her skin, careful to make sure his chin won't be resting on top of her dark head. It was a short, brief yet warm hug all in all.

Not a bad hug at all in his opinion.

* * *

"Anya,"

She stopped in her tracks and turned her head to the direction of the voice. He was sitting at one of the armchairs in front of the warm fire of the Gryffindor common room. But when he had seen her enter through the portrait, he had called out her name, concerned about her well being.

"Yeah, Harry?"

She looked better to him. Better than how she looked during dinner, during the week. From where he was, he could no longer see the sadness in her dark eyes. There was a certain melancholic feel to her but no more of the sorrow ness.

"You're okay?"

"Yeah. Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Hermione has some Head business with Malfoy and Ron is there," Harry motioned towards a small crowd at the other end of the room, the members engrossed in watching the chess game between Ron and a fifth year.

"So...are you going to join us in Hogsmeade tomorrow? Hermione, Ron and I were wondering about that."

Anya nodded, a small smile slowly appearing on her face. She was touched that the wizard in front of her cared about her. Apart from Blaise, she had never expected to have someone else to express concern on her behalf, let alone the three Gryffindors that had became her friends from the moment she was sorted.

"Yes. I'll be going with you guys,"

Harry couldn't stop himself from asking the next question.

"How about Blaise? You're not going out with him?"

"We'll probably see each other at Hogsmeade tomorrow, that's all."

"Oh, okay,"

"Well, goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight,"

Ron Weasley let out a whoop of delight when he had won the game, once again and got up from his seat, giving other students the chance to play with the fifth year. He took the seat beside Harry and pulled out a chocolate éclair from his pocket that he had nicked from the kitchens after dinner.

"So...is she alright?" he asked his green eyed friend with a half full mouth.

"Yeah. I guess she's bound to be alright after having a talk with Zabini,"

"Zabini? How do you know she went to see Zabini?"

"She had a handkerchief in her hand when she came in and at the corner of the handkerchief was the initials B.Z. . Who else do we know have that initials?"

"Told you they had something special going on between them,"

"I don't think so,"

"How come?" Ron swallowed the last of the éclair.

"I asked her whether she's going with Zabini tomorrow to Hogsmeade but she said no and they're probably see each other there,"

* * *

"So, you'll be leading the third years to Hogsmeade and I'll be the one to gather them like lambs when it's time to go back," Draco stifled a yawn behind his hand as he rested his head on the arm of the green sofa he's lounging on. The table in front of him had pieces of parchments that belonged to both him and Hermione. On the other side of the table, Hermione was sitting on the red couch, reading through a list of things to do for the fist Hogsmeade visit of the year.

"Yes. I thought you probably wanted to have some time with your girlfriend," Hermione answered absent mindedly as she ticked some of the things off the list.

"I didn't know I had a girlfriend that I'm not aware of, Granger,"Draco commented from his seat, sitting up as he ran a hand through his hair. Hermione looked up from the list, her brows gathered together curiously. She set the quill down on her lap.

"I thought Parkinson..."

"Pansy is not my girlfriend..." Draco cut her off, crossing his arms across his chest as he challenged her with a look. Brown eyes met grey eyes.

"What about the night visits? She been creeping back after midnight twice this week,"

"You knew about that?"

"You may have put a Silencing charm around your room, Malfoy but the stairs still creaked if someone steps on them,"

"Oh. Weasley stepped on it too?"

Hermione glared at the smirking Slytherin.

"We're friends. "

"Like me and Pansy? Friends with benefits,"

"No. Friends as in platonic friends,"

"Damn," Draco cursed under his breath.

"What?"

"You just made me lose ten galleons to Blaise,"

"You made bets on me and Ron?"

Draco nodded his blond head before laying back on the couch, his long legs hanging over the edge.

"Just between you and Zabini?"

"Maybe," There was a smirk in his voice.

"Urgh. You Slytherins spend too much time in the dungeons, deprived of sunlight. Are any of you vampires?"

"Maybe Snape. And there was that time when Millicent was staring at my neck like it was a piece of heaven send bacon or something,"

"Maybe she wanted to wring your neck or something," Hermione gathered up her books.

"You Gryffs had a bet that some Slytherins are vampires theory?"

This time it was the Head Girl's time to smirked, very unGryffindor.

"Yeah though Dean said you're the head vampire for being so pale,"

Draco decided that his co-Head wasn't all that bad, despite being a mud- muggleborn. _Damn! I can't even think of that word without remembering that Anya was one as well_. Ever since the girl had cried in his arms the day he knew of her past as the orphan who was sold by her adoptive parents, the young Malfoy couldn't even bring himself to say the word that had been sliding off his tongue ever since his second year. He stretched his arms above his head, revealing the skin of his pale upper torso and something in that exposed area caught Hermione's eye.

"Nice pendant,"

"This?" Draco raised the pendant in his hand. It was the same design as the mark on Anya's wrist. A black dragon with the tip of the scales silver.

"Never seen that design before,"

Somehow that sent a breath of relief through Draco. If Hermione had never seen that design, it meant that she had never seen the mark on Anya's wrist.

"It was designed at my birth by an old designer from France. Every male born Malfoy will have a pendant designed specially for them after they were born."

"Old wizarding traditions?"

"For the Malfoys"

Draco got to his feet and unlike the girl, he didn't gathered up his stuffs but instead, he headed for the staircase that led to the level that held their bedrooms and shared bathroom.

"Night, Granger. You better get some beauty sleep if you want Potter's eyes on you tomorrow,"

He smirked when Hermione's indignant reply was muffled as he closed the door of his room behind him. Chuckling a bit, he began to unbutton his shirt and let the clothing slid down his shoulders to lay on the floor. Work for the house elves in the morning. Soon after, his trousers followed the journey of his shirt and no longer able to stifle his yawn, Draco slid underneath the sheets, burying his face in the fresh pillows. Hmm...fresh pillows. The pillows on his bed at the Malfoy Manor had been fresh the first night Anya had slept in it. Before the fact could sink more deeply into his mind, Draco was fast asleep.

* * *

"Hermiones going to herd the third years to Hogsmeade so we'll be the ones to strangle behind them and wait for her get it done with,"

Harry, Ron and Anya were standing in the Entrance Hall as Hermione stood on a stool in front of a group of excited, chattering preteens. She was vainly trying to get herself heard over the hubbub of whether the Shrieking Shack is haunted or whether they should go to Zonko's or the newly opened Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes first. After realizing that she won't be heard, Hermione pulled out her wand and cast a silencing charm on each member of the group. Satisfied with the sudden silence, Hermione stowed back her wand in her pocket.

"Now I got your attention, please raise your hand when I call out your name,"

After about 5 minutes of hand raising in total silence, Hermione was ready to led the group to the wizarding village. But not before giving them a talk.

"I'll take the spell off after this. I'll be taking you to the village and when you arrive there, you can go anywhere you want to as long as it's in the village. You will gather near the Three Broomsticks at ten minutes to one and the Head Boy will be taking you back here at one. Promptly. So I advise you not to diddle daddle because he won't be counting you guys. In fact, he'll probably be glad that one of you gets left behind. Understand?"

All the third years nodded, the same thought of being fifteen minutes before one in front of the Three Broomsticks running through all of their minds.

'Good," Hermione smiled and took the spell off.

"Ron! Can you help me with them?"

"The downfalls of being a prefect," Ron muttered to Harry and Anya before going to Hermione to help her herd the third years into place.

"Anya..."

The witch jumped when someone suddenly whispered her name into her ear, their breath tickling the skin on her neck. She turned around to see Blaise laughing at her reaction and beside her, Harry was smiling.

"Think that's funny, Blaise?"

"Yeah. You should se how high you jumped. Right, Potter?"

Harry nodded." You would have won the high jump event," the smile on both his and Blaise's face were infectious that Anya couldn't helped but smiling back at them.

"So, why are the two of you standing here?" Blaise asked nonchalantly but he looked at Anya when he said the two. Anya looked back at Blaise but apparently Harry didn't noticed a thing.

"Well, Hermione and Ron are herding the third years to Hogsmeade so we're going to wait and walk with them,"

Blaise looked at the frazzled Hermione and nodded.

"Mind me walking with you guys? Theodore's waiting for me there."

"Sure. They'll be ready in a few minutes," Harry answered. To be honest, he found that he didn't have a problem with Blaise Zabini. True to what Hermione had once said, Blaise was different from Malfoy and he was quite ... okay. For a Slytherin. After all, he is a friend of Anya's and someone very important to her.

"Oh yeah. Here's your handkerchief, thanks for lending it to me last night," Anya pulled out the cloth to from her pocket and handed it to Blaise. "Don't worry, I washed them already,"

Blaise took it from her hand and saw how her eyes suddenly widened. She was looking at something behind him and beside her, Harry had a look of hatred on his face. Slowly, Blaise turned around when he heard the familiar cold voice.

"My, my, who do we have here?

It was a someone. Not a something.

**A/N:Hehe...a cliffy. I noticed that it has been quite a while since I last wrote one so here's a cliffhanger. Well, want to guess who's the someone? I think most of you could guess it right.And please review...**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Okay, I'm really really really sorry. If you read on my profile, I've explained there the delay of the update. Here it is. After so long. I hope you like it. I can't guarantee the next update is going to come before a certain date because I got tests coming and also a camping trip which will boost my marks. Hopefully. I'll try to write when I can since I got my laptop now. But it will take me time. And I think me writing skills is a bit rusty so pardon that. Erm….I hope you like this and I want to say thank you to the ones who read and that person who send me a message here and on MySpace, asking if I'm ever going to update. That really gave me a jolt. Thank you for that jolt. And if you wondering, the reason I can write this is cos' I got a 4 day break and classes gonna start on Monday again. Urgh. Between Calculus, Accounting and this, I rather be writing.**

It was a someone that made Anya's blood run cold. She was swiftly filled with fear as memories of a week of pain and hunger came back to her at the mere sight of the wizard. Without realizing it, she took a step back. A step away from the subject of her nightmares.

It was a someone that made such a degree of hatred leap out of the depth of his inner self. Even as he stood there, Harry had the wild urge to whipped out his wand and cast all the Dark hexes he had read about in the books from the Restricted Section. Or to just follow his instincts honed from his upbringing to introduce his fist to the man's pale face and watch the blood trickled from his broken nose.

It was a someone that Blaise didn't expect to see. Over the years, Blaise had managed to form a polite yet distant relationship with the older wizard. As usual, he was wearing a black robe that screamed of his fortunes, his long blond hair tied back with a simple piece of black leather thong.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy. Here to see Draco?"

"Blaise. No, I'm here to see the Headmaster,"

Lucius Malfoy had his customary sneer on his face as he surveyed the trio of teenagers in front of him. There was Blaise Zabini, his son's old friend. Harry Potter was looking at him with hatred burning in his eyes that Lucius returned just as well. But what had caught his attention was the witch standing between the two wizards, her face was unmistakably filled with horror.

She could see the carnal delight in Lucius's smirk, the feral quality of his gaze as the cold eyes swept over her figure slowly. She knew he was thinking back to the day he had cornered her in the manor, the day he had delightly told her of Draco's task to mark her and how he was more than eager to do that himself. She could still feel how the touch of his finger on her skin had send shivers of disgust down her spine, how her eyes had burned with tears that only fell as she sat where he had left her to only have Draco finding her there ten minutes later. It was her fear for the older Malfoy that had prompted her wish to Draco. Her wish to follow Draco to Hogwarts. To get away from Lucius.

Harry could sense the discomfort emitting from Anya and when he turned his head to look at her, he saw that Blaise was looking at her with concern. The look spoke volumes and as Harry watched them he saw Anya looking back at the Slytherin, her face relaxing slightly as if she felt assured with his presence beside her. The tension in the air lessened when they heard a pair of footsteps coming down the steps behind them.

"Mr. Malfoy. You're here already. Sorry for the delay but there's a portrait on the third floor who had such an interesting idea on knitting patterns,"

Prof. Dumbledore stood on the last step of the grand staircase, his blue eyes looking carefully at the sight before him. There was a twinkle in his eyes when he looked at Harry and for a moment, as he locked gazes with Anya, there was something like pity in the blue depths but just as it appeared, it quickly disappeared when the wizard looked back at the Lucius who was looking back at him, his grip on his cane tight.

"Interesting."

He murmured but it was so clear that the tone of his voice said otherwise.

"Shall we get going, Headmaster?"

"Of course. Enjoy Hogsmeade kids."

Dumbledore smiled at the three teens before walking back to his office with Lucius Malfoy beside him, a vast contrast between his sky blue robes with the latter's black ones.

Silence.

"Erm, shall we go now?"

Blaise suggested and the other two nodded once they noticed that the pack of third years along with Hermione and Ron had already long left for the journey to the village. Throughout the walk, both wizards noticed that the witch between them was withdrawn. She was quiet despite their attempts to bring her into a conversation but in the end, it was only Harry and Blaise who talked about Quidditch teams.

Upon arriving at the village, Blaise had said goodbye to Harry and had pulled Anya aside and had whispered something to her, all the while as he looked at her with concern. Harry saw her nod once, her lips moving as she assured her friend. She gave her friend a small smile when he squeezed her shoulder gently before walking off to meet Theodore Nott.

"How about we go and grab some butterbeer to go before anything else?" Ron suggested.

The others accepted the idea with enthusiasm, well, more on Harry and Hermione behalf while Anya had a look of wondering what butterbeer was. They all entered the Three Broomsticks and proceeded to the bar where Madam Rosmerta was wiping the shiny dark top. In the end, it was Harry who paid for the four bottles of butterbeer which Ron grabbed two of for him and Hermione.

"You okay?"

Harry asked quietly as he passed Anya a bottle of butterbeer as they followed their tall redhead friend out of the warm bar. She took the drink and screwed the cap off after thanking the Boy-Who-Lived. Slowly, she took a sip of the warm drink and as the liquid trickled down her throat, she felt a bit better.

"Better,"

She was holding back something and Harry knew it. It was just like him. He had seen the fear and discomfort on her face and like him, he knew that Anya would probably prefer not to have someone shove questions down her throat. Instead, Harry opted for another tactic.

"Lucius Malfoy is a piece of evil shit,"

Anya's head whipped around to look at him and he continued, "Some people can sense that and feeling discomfort and slight fear when you're in his company, is normal. "

Harry's words were oddly comforting and as both of them walked behind Hermione and Ron who was bickering about their next destination, Anya gave him a small smile at the wizard beside her. Harry smiled back at her, neither noticing a pair of eyes watching them.

* * *

"You have to be kidding, Hermione! I'am not going to follow the two of you into that store!"

Ron was being unreasonably stubborn, in Hermione's opinion. Stepping into the new shop won't make a dent on his manliness, so why is he acting like the Grim Ripper is going to grab him if he follow them into the shop. It was a quaint shop actually, at the end of the High Street with a display that had caught Hermione and Anya's attention when they had passed the window. The items on display were mostly jewelries but what had made Hermione stopped was the apple shaped brooch on the bottom right hand corner. It looked like something her mother would like for her birthday.

"I've followed you guys to Zonko's, your brothers' store, and god forbids, the Quidditch store! So, maybe you can wait for few minutes before we go to Honeydukes!"

For a moment, Hermione had a slight resemblance to Prof. McGonagall but when Ron started to sprout out buts, Hermione cuts his words.

"Just give us about ten minutes then we'll go and get your supply of sweets and chocolates!"

Her words were meant to be final as she pulled Anya by the arm into the shop. Leaving Ron looking at Harry with a fish like expression on his face. The latter, however, only shrugged his shoulder.

"She is right. We can wait out here for them and it is not that cold."

After a while, recognizing defeat, Ron nodded.

The shopkeeper was a wild looking beauty who looked as if after spending a day running in grassy fields under the sun had resorted to stay in the shop that held the atmosphere every antique shop had. Old comfort. When the two Gryffindors witches had entered the empty shop, she had smiled at them, her eyes narrowing in a catlike manner. Her long hair had every shade of blond in it. From strawberry blonde to white blond.

"Hello,"

Her voice was a bit sultry, a voice that often belonged to the sexy mysterious lady in the old black and white movies.

"How may I help you?"

"I saw the apple shaped brooch in the display, I was thinking about taking a closer look at it," Hermione said as Anya wondered around the store, just looking at the items as she didn't have a lot of money to spend, despite the fact that both Narcissa Malfoy and Bianca Zabini had offered to give her some if she ever needs the money, Anya felt uncomfortable in requesting anything.

"This one?"

The shopkeeper slid the brooch on the countertop towards Hermione who picked it up and examined it closer with a critical eye.

"How much is it?"

"Ten galleons. It comes with a minor Luck charm."

"Luck charm?"

"Every piece of jewelry in here comes with a charm, the more expensive the trinket, the more impressive the charm is. This brooch has a minor Luck charm. The wearer will find themselves blessed with minor blessings such as the last piece of cake, a sweet slice of orange and no more burnt food on the stove,"

Hermione had to smile at that. Sometimes her mother could forget about the pot on the stove and only when her husband had asked her about the burning smell did Mrs. Granger took her head out of the book she was reading at the moment.

'Will the charm last long?"

"We have a two year warranty on every piece of jewelry,"

Hermione looked at the brooch in her hand again before nodding.

"I'll take it,"

As the shopkeeper wrapped Hermione's purchase, Anya put down the jewelry she was looking at and drifted back to Hermione. Three minutes later, they were joining Harry and Ron outside, heading for Honeydukes.

"Honeydukes has got to be the best shop in the whole of Hogsmeade! You'll love it!"Ron said to Anya before pushing open the door to what must be one of the most crowded store in the whole wizarding village. The warm air that hit their face smelled like chocolate, mints, toffee and other varieties of confectionary available. With it, came the deafening sound of the crowd of students in the enclosed space, each comparing their purchases and debated loudly on what they should buy.

* * *

"What do you mean my father's here?" Draco whirled suddenly to faced Blaise, his pale face had the rare color in his cheeks.

"We saw him at the Entrance Hall before walking here,"

The two of them was at the bar of the Three Broomsticks, waiting for Madam Rosmerta to take their orders. As usual, most of the Slytherin seventh years were sitting together at their usual table for a drink together before heading their own way in twos and threes or even the occasional loner, heading to god knows where. Pansy Parkinson was talking animatedly with Daphne Greengrass while Milicent Bulstrode was involved in a match of arm wrestling with Crabbe and Goyle was looking greedily at a bulging bag bearing Honeydukes' logo that belonged to a first year Hufflepuff. Theodore Nott had his back against the table as he chatted with a Ravenclaw whom he had Muggle Studies with.

"Who do you mean by 'we'?"

There was a dangerous tone in the Head Boy's voice.

"Me, Potter and ... Anya"

"My father saw Anya, then,"

It wasn't a question. It was a statement but Blaise still nodded his head.

"Fuck,"

The word was said under his breath as Draco ran a hand through his hair. He had decided to come down to Hogsmeade a bit early, alone, to do a private errand that had been unconsciously prompted from the letter he had received from his mother the night before. When he had arrived at the village, it was empty of any teenagers wearing the customary black robes that identified them as a student of Hogwarts. Based on Narcissa's description in the letter, Draco walked down High Street, looking for the quaint shop that belonged to an acquaintance of his mother.

"Did he say anything to her?"

Blaise made a face as he thought back at that less than two minutes encounter.

"No ... but it was obvious that Anya was afraid of her, she was shaking and Potter was looking at her when she took a step back from your father. It's not her fault, Draco but ... the look on your father's face when he was looking at her was a bit like..."

Blaise struggled to describe the look on Lucius Malfoy face. His honest description would be too honest and Draco is the man's son and there's no knowing whether he would take the words as an insult or not. He was pondering on the words to use in his tamed down description when Draco himself said the words that were floating in his mind.

" He's a hungry wolf and she's a fresh delicious looking piece of meat,"

"Yes! You took the words out of my mouth,"

"Damn it. I thought he was tired of that already,"

Madam Rosmerta tottered over to them in her high heels, her voluptuous figure had always earned an appreciative look from the two Slytherins.

"What can I get for you boys today?"

Seeing that Draco was too distraught, Blaise smiled charmingly at the owner.

"Hello Madam, you're look as gorgeous as usual. We would like 8 bottles of butterbeer,"

Blushing slightly, the woman nodded."I'll get back to you with your drinks in a few,"

The moment she was out of hearing distance, Blaise turned to his friend.

"Tired of what?"

For a moment, Draco looked as if he wouldn't say anything but then he leaned closer to the darker wizard, his eyes filled with a foreign emotion. When he spoke, his voice was merely a whisper, that Blaise had to leaned even closer to listen.

"Remember when I told you that Anya was my gift and I had to mark her? Well, do you remember how reluctant I was at first but then I suddenly asked you to buy that lust potion for me?"

"Yeah. You told me that Anya asked to come to Hogwarts with you as a return in you marking her,"

"Her decision was prompted by my father." He continued at the go-on look on Blaise's face."On the day Mother and I went to your house for tea, Anya had ventured out of my private wing and Father managed to corner her and told her about my having to take her virginity to mark her as mine. And he made it worse by offering to do it himself instead of me,"

The tone in his voice was now bitter and Blaise was just about to say something when suddenly an intended cough came from beside them and in slow motion, both of them turned their heads to look at an amused looking Madam Rosmerta, an eyebrow quirked slightly, her hands laden with bottles of butterbeer.

"Here's your order, gentlemen," She set down the bottles on the countertop as Blaise and Draco hurriedly distanced themselves, Blaise digging into his pocket for the money. Draco grabbed four of the bottles and went back to their table while Blaise paid Madam Rosmerta and just as he took the remaining bottles and turned to follow Draco, he heard the woman muttered under her breath.

"Such good looking boys and they're queer. The girls at Hogwarts must be crying."

Blaise was torn between laughing and feeling horrified.

* * *

Monday morning started with the morning post coming in through the many open windows. Ron was pouring milk into his second bowl of cereal which had followed a consuming of three toasts and a plateful of bacons and eggs. Opposite him, Harry was cutting his kipper into bite sized pieces as he ran through a checklist of homeworks that should be finish by that day with Hermione who was sitting beside Ron while munching daintily on a piece of buttered toast, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Beside Harry, Anya was eating a banana muffin which she had spread peanut butter over the top. She lets out a moan of satisfaction at the combined taste of the muffin and the peanut butter. Warily, Ron looked on as the girl finished the baked goods.

"I don't understand how you can stand eating that muffin with peanut butter. Urgh! Not to mention eating it with apples and bananas,"

Ron made a face at the memory of once trying eating a light meal that consisted of banana slices with some peanut butter. It wasn't something that even his famous steel stomach could handle. Anya's particular liking of peanut butter had made her British friends slightly queasy just by looking at her devouring a peanut butter snack.

"Oh, please Ron. It's absolutely delicious. You don't have an adventurous streak when it comes to food," Anya said teasingly, fully knowing the redhead's insatiable appetite for food. Somehow, peanut butter and Ron's stomach are not bosom buddies. Ron was about to retort an answer that contained comments made by various people concerning his appetite when Hedwig landed on the table, between him and Harry. It was a medium sized box with the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes logo on it and a scroll of parchment had been tied to Hedwig's leg. The snowy white owl dipped her beak into Ron's goblet of juice and set off for the Owlery after being relieved of her burden. Harry unrolled the scroll and read in a voice that enabled Ron, Hermione and Anya to hear.

Harry,

As one of our earliest benefactors, it is your honorable duty to test our new not yet in the market products(of course, after me and George test them ourselves). We know that you (not to forget our prat of a bother, the prefect Ron) will be eternally grateful to us but believe us, the pleasure is ours. A slight problem that you may have noticed is the lack of instructions for the products and it's not a fruit of our forgetfulness but we thought that half of the fun would be figuring out what does these products do,right? Just one piece of advice, don't test them on yourselves. A slimy Slytherin like Malfoy or idiots like Crabbe and Goyle would be more suitable.

Gred and Forge

"This is bloody wonderful!" Ron said from across him, his blue eyes shining with excitement at the thought of using the products on Crabbe and Goyle. It was when Harry said something that a small package landed in front of Anya. It was cylinder shaped and wrapped in black wrapping paper with a silver ribbon tied around it. A gift without a note on it. A perfectly anonymous gift if Anya didn't already have a clue who could be the sender when she had managed to see the owl delivering the gift before.

Aware that only Hermione's eyes were on her as the other two members of the Golden Trio was too busy rummaging though the box, Anya slowly unwrapped the gift to reveal a velvet colored jewelry case. Hermione's raised eyebrow told her to open the case. And she did. Which resulted in an excited squeal emitting from beside her.

No. Harry Potter didn't just squeal.

It came from the person on her other side.

Lavender Brown. Oh.

"Oh my God! That is the thing both me and Parvati wanted when we was browsing in that quaint shop."

"The shop where I bought my mom's gift," Hermione added.

"You're so lucky Anya. Someone must really really like you," Parvati said.

"What do you mean?"

Parvati exchanged a meaningful look with Lavender before answering.

"You see, when Lavender and I went to the shop yesterday, we saw that and we asked the shopkeeper lady how much is it but she told us that someone already bought it and not to mention, it's very expensive. So, someone must really really like you to spend so much money on one item just for you,"

"Or he must be really rich," Lavender added.

Anya looked down at the piece of jewelry before taking it out. It was beautiful. Made of silver with bits of pink crystals hanging from it, the anklet was certainly something that looked as if it cost loads of money.

"What's the charm that comes with it?" Hermione asked.

"A protection charm, if I'm not wrong. The lady said it's quite strong. It's a bit complicated too but she didn't really explain to us," Lavender answered.

"I don't care about the protection charm. I'm not going to keep it," Anya shut the case with a satisfying 'snap'.

"You're not?" Hermione asked at the same time as both Parvati and Lavender yelped their disbelief.

"I don't want it and I'm going to return it,"

"You know who send this?"

"I have a good idea,"

* * *

"Tell him I don't want this,"

Blaise looked down at the jewelry case in his hand.

"He's not going to be happy about this," he warned the witch before she merely shook her head.

"I don't want it. Tell him that,"

The two of them were at the courtyard for the morning break, standing together in a secluded corner. Anya was biting her lower lip, a Gryffindor scarf wrapped around her neck as she told the Slytherin to give the gift back to the Head Boy.

"Okay. I will. But don't be surprised when it gets deliver back to you tomorrow morning," Blaise warned as he pocketed the case in his robes.

"Then I'll give it back to you to give it to him again," She turned around as if to leave but Blaise called her back.

"Anya,"

She turned, looking at him with a question in her eyes.

"Yeah,"

"Draco told me about what his father did. Why you finally agreed to be marked. I just want you to know that what you did was the best way,"

Anya tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears.

"Thank you, Blaise. That means a lot to me,"

Her smile was warm and sweet for him.

It was good enough to give Blaise some courage( Slytherins are of course known for being cunning, not brave) to pass the case and message to Draco. The blond said nothing but the next morning, Blaise's prediction came true when once again, Anya received the jewelry case once again during breakfast. And also on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning. Does giving up even exist in the Malfoy Handbook?

**A/N: Please review. Thank you. I didn't know how to end this with a cliffhanger and it would probably take another 1000 word so I decide to just end here.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hey there!! Here is the next chapter and I must admit that I got stuck halfway through for about a month until a week before my finals. So there I was, typing away when I should have been studying calculus or economics. I'll make it up soon. Promise!! Anyway, there are a few things I would like to tell you absolutely nice readers.**

**i)If you remember, Draco' jealousy is a big factor in this story so there are some of you guessing that there will be another guy who likes Anya and that will make Draco ballistic. Congrats. You're absolutely right. And at that time(sometime around last year) I had that guy in my mind but somehow as this story progressed I thought another guy will be better, more drama like. Who is the guy? Well, his identity is revealed in this chapter!! I hope you can see why I choose him and it's not just because he is absolutely hot, apart from Draco but he just seems right. Tell me what you think, okay? **

**ii) The next chapter is about 1000 words already but I can't guarantee when it'll be post cos my finals is starting on the 22****nd**** of Oct until the 6****th**** of October so I'll be a tad busy.**

**iii) Anyway, I would like to give a BIG thank you to all of you that reviewed, put me on your fave author list, author alert list, put any of my fics on your fave story list or story alert list. Thank you so much!! **

**iv) Got to go now, need to read my Islamic studies cos the paper is 4 days away (23****rd**** Oct). Gasp. I'm doomed. Wish me luck and hope I won't need to repeat any papers next sem. And oh yeah, pleaseplease pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease review. Long ones too!(Just being greedy there)Hehe.**

**-fahanizhieliq-**

**Chapter 17**

It was certainly a work of art, made by a master who knew his specialty well. The silver was from the finest quality available to mankind, the tiny pink crystals winked at her whenever the morning sunlight caught them. There was even a tiny silver bell, tinkling beautifully. She let the anklet dangled from between her fingers as she sat cross-legged on her bed, her chin resting in her other hand. Her dark eyes were locked on the piece of accessory but her mind was on the sender. She was thinking how hard-headed the Head Boy could be. Including today, he had just owed the anklet to her for the sixth consecutive time. And for five times in a row, she had given the jewelry to Blaise to pass it to Draco with the message that she didn't want the 'gift' from him. She thought that after five times, the message would have already been embedded in his mind but, no. She had woke up from her sleep on a suppose to be beautiful Saturday morning to see a familiar looking eagle owl perched on the window sill beside her bed. On her bedside table, was the jewelry case. Once satisfied that he had indeed delivered his package, the owl took flight before Anya had the chance to retie the package onto the owl's leg so Draco would received it.

"Why don't you just accept it?"

Hermione's question brought Anya out of her reverie. It seems that she had been so lost in her thought that she didn't noticed that the Head Girl had entered the spacious room she shared with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. She slid the anklet into the pocket of her jeans before getting off her bed, her hand reaching for the hairbrush on her bedside table, beside the opened jewelry case. She faced the large mirror on the wall while brushing the slight knots out of her damp hair.

"I just don't feel right in accepting it, Hermione especially from him."

"Mind telling me who is this secret admirer of yours that you so happen to know the identity of?"

Anya just shook her head as she pulled her hair back with a clip. She looked at her reflection for awhile, her eyes pausing at her image's hands. She was used to seeing them in gloves now. It was already part of her identity for the seventh years who knew her. Of course the more curious ones had asked her but her made up story of sensitive skin were accepted without doubt. She turned around to face Hermione.

"Come on, I'm starving already,"

"Sometimes I think you're channeling Ron, Anya. Your appetite can appear similar to his at the oddest moment, Hermione said as they walked down the stairs towards the common room where Harry and Ron were already waiting for them.

* * *

"Why don't you come and watch us practice since you're free today?" Ron suggested, his mouth not filled with half chewed food, thankfully. Being a glorious Saturday morning, the Great Hall was nearly empty except for a handful of students, the early birds of Hogwarts. Ever since the start of the term, Harry, as the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team had badgered their Head of the House to book the Quidditch pitch every Saturday morning so the team could have their practice session.

"Yeah, Anya. You've never seen the team in action." Harry said.

"You're going, Hermione?" Anya asked the girl but she shook her head.

"Can't. I have a meeting with Prof. McGonagall and Malfoy,"

Anya had half a mind to declined, preferring to stay in the common room but the look Ron's face was like a little puppy pleading its owner for a new ball and the way Harry's green eyes was looking at her made up her mind. She smiled at them.

"As long as you let me try to ride one of your broomsticks,"

Harry stood on the ground, watching Ron hovering around Anya who was riding his Firebolt with a look of glee mixed with slight fear. True, she didn't possess the agility in Quidditch players yet she was good enough. Capable of riding a broomstick without making one fear of her safety. Unlike Hermione, who had wrapped he arms around his waist so tightly during the short ride he had persuaded to take that Harry felt as if he couldn't breathe properly. After that, Harry no longer had the desire to put his best friend on a broomstick unless it's a life or death situation.

Anya's long dark hair reflected the sunlight as she gleefully played tag with Ron who was chasing her. She swerved and flew over the goal posts before slanting her body to the front, nearing the ground as Ron got closer to her, his hand outstretched so he could tag her. Then something happened. There was a shout from Ron. Then it happened so fast that Ron was already lying on the ground, unmoving. Harry blinked. Then he ran towards the lying figure on the ground.

"Ron!"

Anya landed beside him when he got to Ron, her face pale. She let the broomstick fall to the ground beside her as she crouched beside Harry. It was all her fault that Ron had fell to the ground. When he had tagged her, his hand had clasped onto her shoulder and some of it had made contact with the bare skin near her neck, where there was no cloth over it. And because the hand belonged to Ronald Weasley and not Draco Malfoy, the curse on her became active. All Ron felt before falling to the ground was a burning sensation on his hand.

As if afraid that she will harm him again, Anya kept her hands in her pocket as Harry shook Ron's shoulder gently. Slowly, the redhead opened one blue eye and smiled faintly at them.

"I'm still alive, right? Cos' my idea of heaven involves a never ending banquet table and a set of chess pieces made from Gold and Harry, best friend you are, are not part of my idea of heaven,"

Harry hit Ron's shoulder lightly, the redhead's words as proof that he wasn't badly hurt. Maybe a few bruises and a sore bottom but hey, being Harry Potter's friend had gotten him in worse condition than a mere fall from a broomstick 10 feet above the ground. He grabbed Harry's outstretched hand and pulled himself into a standing position. He patted his bottom gingerly.

'You okay, Ron?"

Anya's voice was heavy with worry. The redhead looked at the brunette before nodding his head.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Man, you're just like Ginny. Whenever we played tag as kids, none of us were brave enough to tag her because her skin would be giving some kind of burning sensation due to her excited emotions,"

Ron's words brought such relief to Anya but before any more words could be uttered by either of them, the rest of the team had arrived. With a glance at Anya before turning to his team, Harry started the practice.

"On your brooms everybody!" He pulled Ron to the side as the others mounted their broomsticks. "You think you can fly?"

"Of course I can! It was just a small fall, Harry," Ron said with a roll of his blue eyes before taking his broomstick that was lying on the ground and mounted it before taking off to join the five figures that were flying around. Harry turned back to Anya, whose face was still pale, her dark eyes looking straight at him. He put his hand on her shoulder and felt her stiffened slightly.

"Why don't you go and sit at the stands? Ron's fine, you know"

"Erm..."

"And it's not your fault Anya. It's just all that your magic is connected to your emotions thingie,"

But it is my fault, Anya thought as she sat on one of the many stands, her eyes following Ron's movement, her hand tight around her wand, as if preparing herself to catch Ron if he falls again. It is this entire damn curse fault!

* * *

"It is my duty as the Deputy Headmistress to inform you that the Headmaster had decided that this year, we would be holding a ball during Halloween which is at end of this month,"

The straight line told Hermione that her Head of House didn't agree with the Headmaster. She exchanged a sideway glance with Draco who was lounging on the seat to her right, his aristocratic face full of boredom. Prof. McGonagall sniffed once before continuing, her tone dripping with disapproval.

"It is the Head Students' duty to organize this ball. You would determine the theme, the entertainment, etc. You will have to present the budget to the Headmaster in one week so you'll have two weeks to finish your job. Understand?"

The two students nodded at the same time. The prospect of having the full responsibility for the upcoming ball was weighing heavily on their shoulders already.

"Any questions?"

"Would there be any age restrictions?"

"That's up to you and Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger."

"Are there any traditions that we have to follow with?"

"Well, there's the Last Dance where at the end of it, the Headmaster would choose the couple whom he deems as the most suitable and compatible with each other."

The short meeting only lasted for about half an hour which saw the Scottish woman leaving the Heads' common room with a purposed air, as if glad that she had passed the burden of the ball down to the two students.

"So, Granger... What do you have in mind for the ball?"

Draco asked, his head resting on his hands as he tilted his head to face the ceiling, his feet on the low table in front of him. Personally, he would rather be in his room or at the Slytherin's common room than discussing plans for the ball. Beside him, Hermione was gathering her hair to tie them into a ponytail.

"Not much for now but here's an idea. What about a masquerade ball?"

"At least it's not as cheesy as a costume ball,"

"Glad we could see eye to eye on that, Malfoy"

"What else?" he asked as Hermione opened her notebook and set it on the coffee table in front of them.

"What about we do is this way? I give an idea then you give one. You, me, you, me. That way, you won't take all the credit and,"

"You won't be a nervous witch nearing a breakdown with a bad hair day," Draco finished her sentence, not without some humor in his tone. Hermione couldn't help but smiled.

"Here's my first idea. I don't want anyone under the fifth year to be at the ball,"

"But isn't that unfair?"

"We can always let them have the Halloween feast at the Great Hall and then we'll kick those brats out from there an hour before the ball so we can decorate the place."

Not really agreeing with Draco's words but with his idea, Hermione nodded her head as she wrote the suggestion down underneath the column titled 'DRACO'. She tapped her quill against her notebook.

"But if someone from the fifth year or above asked a fourth year or below, they're allowed to go. Like the Yule Ball," she said while looking at Draco. The blond just nodded his head, his face blank. But then, his eyes suddenly lit up as he straightened on the couch, a playful smirk on his face.

"Hey, Granger. I've been wondering about this ever since fourth year,"

"Really, Malfoy?" Hermione said warily as she eyed the Head Boy, already guessing what he would say.

"Did the love triangle between you, Krum and Potter really existed?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow in irritation and amusement. Never had she thought that Draco Malfoy would ask her for a piece of gossip.

"It's as true as the story you had a threesome with Milicent Bulstrode and Crabbe last year."

She laughed her head off at the look of disgust on his face.

* * *

"A ball? You mean like the Yule Ball? Not a beach ball or a bowling ball?"

"Harry. I'm sure your dancing has improved tremendously ever since fourth year," Hermione said with the intention to console her best friend as she ladled the savory lamb stew into her bowl.

"So you have to work with Malfoy in organizing this ball?" Ron said as he screwed his face in disgust at the thought of working together with the Slytherin.

"The prefects will have to help too Ron, which means you may have to share duties of hanging the streamers with Pansy Parkinson,"

Ron's freckled face turned pale, "Merlin Hermione! You can't possibly mean that. You can't pair me up with her. I nearly threw up at the smell of her perfume when I had to sit beside her,"

Harry and Anya both laughed at Ron's reaction as they began to eat their lunch. The Great Hall was full of hungry students on the Saturday afternoon. The Golden Trio and Anya were sitting at the end of the table full of Gryffindors and as Harry and Ron discussed about their just finished Quidditch practice, Hermione nudged Anya with her foot, making the brunette look up from her meal. She raised an eyebrow in inquiry at the Head Girl.

"Have you decided to keep the anklet? Or continue this giving back and receiving it again in the morning routine?"

Anya swallowed a spoonful before answering.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll keep it but I don't think that I'll wear it,"

Hermione nodded her head while a dark head Slytherin was talking intently to the person opposite him at the other side of the Great Hall.

"Come on Draco. Don't you know the meaning of the term give up?"

"We don't have that in the Malfoy Handbook, Blaise," The blond Head Boy snapped at the Italian wizard.

"You don't have buying your coming of age gift expensive trinkets in the blasted Handbook either," Blaise muttered darkly underneath his breath as Draco glared at him, his grey eyes darkening.

"Do you have a problem Zabini? You don't want to be the messenger anymore, is it?"

"What is your problem, Draco? I only asked you to just give it a rest with trying to force the anklet to her. You're only making her feel uncomfortable,"

"Trying to be noble? I thought you loved those moments of meeting her secretly while she gave you the anklet and ask you to pass messages to me." Draco said angrily but when Blaise opened his mouth, it was obvious that the latter was bewildered and angry.

"What the fuck are you talking about Malfoy?" He asked while putting down the utensils in his hands onto the wooden table. Draco however, opted to slam the cutleries onto the table, his accusation coming out in a hiss.

"What I'm talking about Zabini is the fact that you can't seem to keep your eyes and your hands off something that clearly is mine!"

"I don't know what you mean," Blaise said coldly, his dark blue eyes as cold as the tip of a glacier.

Around them, the seventh year Slytherins were looking at the two friends curiously, wondering why the two wizards who were known for their friendship were glaring at each other. Draco narrowed his eyes and sneered at Blaise, his handsome face resembling his father's at that moment.

"Hufflepuffs are the idiots, not Slytherins, Zabini. I'm talking about how close you are with a certain brunette who has a tattoo of a dragon on her right wrist although you clearly know what that tattoo means!"

Draco continued his tirade when Blaise said nothing.

"You're just waiting for the moment I'll let her go so you can just take her and enjoy her in ways that only I can. I see the way you talk to her, share all those secret looks and smiles with her, acting as if you're only interested in being friends with her when all you can think about is how long you have to wait before you can actually touch her soft body, taste those lips of hers and just fuck that ravishing bo-"

The whole Great Hall came to a stand still when a loud bang came from the Slytherin table. Anya and the Golden Trio turned in their seats and craned their necks to view the spectacle that was making the teachers on the staff table speechless.

"Blimey,"Ron exclaimed. Harry said something but Anya didn't hear what the boy-who-lived said because she was too transfixed, horrified with what was going on at the Slytherin table.

Blaise Zabini was on his feet, his wand pointing straight at Draco Malfoy who was lying on the floor, his upper half body propped up by his elbows. He was wincing slightly, as if trying to hold back the pain from whatever curse Blaise had just threw to him. As the people watched, Anya noticed the anger on Blaise's face as he looked down at his friend and the way his wand hand was shaking slightly. Silence. Until Draco got up to his feet and pulled out his wand without the other boy noticing and in a flash of blue light, there was blood trickling from a gash on Blaise's left cheek. Blaise raised his wand and send a stunner towards Draco but the spell missed the blond by mere inches, hitting the wall where a loud booming sound resulted in a hole on the wall. Draco sends another jinx towards Blaise's direction but it disappeared in mid air.

"Enough," Prof. Dumbledore was on his feet, his wand in his hand as his bright blue eyes gazed upon the two young wizards with disapproval.

"There will be no dueling in the Great Hall Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Zabini," the old man cast a sideway glance towards the Potions Master, conveying the message that he would be the one that would have to deal with the two Slytherins.

"Both of you will come to my office tonight at 8 to start your detention,"

Neither wizard protest at Snape's orders. They were too busy glaring at each other, their wands still held loosely in their hands but they didn't dare to do anything more than that, not wanting to risk the wrath of Severus Snape anymore. The Great Hall held their breath when Blaise turned on his heels and stalked towards the open double doors, his tall figure an imposing one. Draco sat back on his seat, looking down at his plate while none of his year mates dare to even talk to the blond who was emitting a powerful wave of anger.

"What was all that about?" Harry said as they turned back to their deserted lunch.

"Considering it's Malfoy and Zabini, the two famed Slytherins who are known for their ways with females, it's maybe over some girl," Ron said indifferently as he spooned some mash potatoes into his mouth. Beside him, Anya whose appetite had abandon her during the spectacle was looking down at her plate, her mind thinking what Ron had just said.

"Don't be so sure Ron. It may be because of something else," Hermione said admonishly. Ron looked skeptically at the Head Girl.

"Come on Mione. Haven't you heard of their conquests?"

"Aren't they're just stories, Ron?" Hermione countered.

Ron gave a huff.

"There's truth behind those stories. Well, at least the ones with the Slytherin girls. I'll bet my dinner tonight that Malfoy had Parkinson as his late night visitor more than once already. And Zabini is just the same. Remember all the stories last year we heard about how often he changed his girlfriends?"

"Blaise is not like that,"

It was Anya who said that. She was still looking down but her voice was clear and steady. When she looked up, Hermione and Harry could see the emotions swirling in her dark eyes. There was loyalty for Blaise and anger at Ron's words.

"Blaise has been very respectful towards me ever since I've met him. I think the stories you heard about him are just stories. He wouldn't do anything like that. Why do you think I trust him so much?"

She cast a cold look towards the redhead before getting up, excusing herself from the table before exiting the Great Hall, her dark head held high. Everyone who looked at her saw that sign of self esteem but no one saw the tears forming in her eyes.

* * *

"Looks like the young Mr.Weasley had said something that Ms.Zainudin does not agree with," the Headmaster made an observation. Prof. Snape followed the dark headed girl's movements with his eyes, connecting her departure with a certain member of his own House.

"I'll bet my private supply of Potion ingredients that Mr. Weasley had poorly commented something about Mr.Zabini."

"Severus, you've always been the confident one," Albus Dumbledore said as he cast a sideway glance at his staff. The man merely gave the old man a 'Severus Snape' look that would had made Neville Longbottom's knees shaking.

"Anyone who had seen the girl with Blaise Zabini would had come to the conclusion that those two are very close to each other. They came on the train together and even though when she had been sorted into Gryffindor, the two of them still spend time together when they can,"

"Quite a remarkable feat, seeing one is a Slytherin while the other is a Gryffindor,"

"Are you sure it is not Mr. Zabini who has put the protection charm on Ms.Zainudin, Albus?" Severus Snape asked the question that has been burning in his mind ever since that one fateful night when he had decided to take a walk on the school grounds. He had seen the two figures sitting at the secluded place and in full Professor-mode, he was prepared to hand out detentions. But that didn't happened when he saw the exchange between Blaise Zabini and Anya Zainudin. He saw the tears. He saw the concern. And he let the two teenagers be.

Albus Dumbledore peered over his half moon glasses to look in the direction of a certain blond, concern etched in his wisely lined face.

"It's not Mr.Zabini, Severus but if it is him, I think Ms.Zainudin would find the situation more bearable."

The two men soon lapsed into their own thought. The younger one was thinking of that night while the elder one was thinking of the protection charm that was on the new student.

* * *

"Look what you did, Ron! If only you had limited your comment to Malfoy only and not had dragged Zabini into it along, Anya wouldn't be mad." Hermione looked at Ron with an ' Mrs.Weasley' look that made the redhead squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

"But, Hermione," he whined," it true. Zabini is just the same as Malfoy,"

"That is no excuse. How would you feel if someone told you that I'm a scarlet woman and Harry here has been using his I'M-THE-BOY-WHO-LIVED status to get into bed with half of the girls in our year?"

Harry thought Hermione was overdoing it but he said nothing.

"I'll never believe that. I've known you guys since my first year here. What that Skeeter cow said is untrue and Harry here hasn't had a date in a month,"

It was clear to Harry that Ronald didn't get the point.

It was also clear that it was time for him to intervene before Hermione get into a first class fit with Ron.

"I think what Hermione means is that people don't like it when others tell them bad thing about their friends, even though it's true. Zabini is Anya's first friend here in Hogwarts and you have seen how close she is with him. Hearing you say that he is a notorious playboy is not happy hearing, Ron. "

"But...haven't both of you ever doubted about their relationship?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look that was enough to convey a message. Of course they had wondered about that but any suspicions they had were kept to themselves.

"Sometimes but if you look at them, Ron, they just look like they're really close friends. The whole time I was with them before the Hogsmeade, I didn't see anything between them except for being friends. Just that. Of course there were shared looks but you and Hermione sometimes do that, so do me and Hermione. Are we sleeping with each other?"

"No!" The answer came loudly from both Hermione and Ron.

"I think I'll go and look for Anya so you, Ronald Billius Weasley can say you're sorry," Hermione said as she got up, brushing away imaginary crumbs from her lap.

* * *

After what had happened, he knew deep inside himself there was a voice shouting at him to get out of his current situation, pronto, in any way. He could go and jump in the lake, go for a picnic in the forest with Hagrid or even go up to Snape with an offer to clean up the first years' cauldrons but no matter how absurd or logical or appealing the voice in his head's suggestion was, Blaise Zabini did not budged from where he was. Not even after the voice had screamed at him that Draco was sure to kill him after that public duel if the blond happen to see him now. No matter what, Blaise Zabini liked his current situation. Damn the consequences.

"That scar is going to heal, right?"

Her dark eyes were so full of worry as they looked at him while his own traitorous eyes were looking at the pair of delicious looking lips, Draco's voice echoing in his head.

_"Taste those lips of hers..."_

He mentally shook his dark head before focusing on her question.

"Madame Pomfrey said it will disappear in a week,"

Anya shook her head. She was sitting cross-legged on the ground, facing Blaise who was in the same position. He had found her at the spot he had brought her the night she had told him of Draco's jealousy, her gaze fixed on the view in front of her. After leaving the Great Hall, Blaise had decided to go to the hospital wing, wincing from the pain on his cheek. After enduring fifteen minutes of the matron's continuous ranting on students nowadays, Blaise had headed for his favorite spot, surprised to see the witch that had caused the fight between him and Draco to be sitting there.

She raised a gloved hand, her finger slowly tracing the healing scar on his left cheek.

_" When all you can think about is how long you have to wait before you can actually touch her soft body..."_

He pulled away from her so suddenly that he saw the hurt appeared in her face before it disappeared as quickly as it came. She pulled her hand away, her eyes looking down at her lap. At the sight in front of him, Blaise was instantly filled with guilt. But before he could say anything, she looked up at him.

"What happened back in the Great Hall?"

"Nothing," his answer was short and gruff. She was insistent.

"You don't hex your best friend in the middle of the Great Hall because of nothing,"

"Best friends don't accuse their friends of trying to get it on with..." He managed to shut his mouth just before telling her that the reason he and Draco fought was because the latter had accused him of wanting her in his bed. Anya's eyes narrowed slightly. She had heard what the Italian wizard had tried to stopped himself from telling her.

"What did Draco accused you of?"

Blaise sighed heavily, running a hand through his dark hair, his eyes avoiding hers.

"Just something immensely stupid and not worth repeating,"

"Tell me," She put her hand over his, making him looks into her eyes where he saw her resoluteness." You're not one to fly off the handle so easily Zabini. Draco must had said something terrible,"

No matter what she say will make him tell her what Draco had said. Not even if she look at him with those dark eyes. Not even if he could the feel the warmth of her hand on his through the glove she wore.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I know my exams finished nearly a month ago but I had something going on that left me tired everyday so I didn't really had the time to type. And also the interest to do so. My fault I admit and I hope you'll forgive me for that. I've also been addicted to Granger Enchanted, a wickedly great Hermione-centric fics website that had got me hooked on Hermione/Fenrir and Hermione/Regulus. Well, this chapter is longer than ever( a goal it seems for me to write longer and longer chapters) but there's no Blaise at all except for some name mentioning. Sorry. I love that guy but to include him in here will make this chapter the length of two chapters which will take longer. But the good news is there's plenty of Draco in here. If there's any grammar or spelling mistake I'm so sorry but my Word was in trial and had expired and I couldn't install it or something. Anyway, I would like to thank everyone for reading this story and reviewing them. Ade(my Blaise look-a-like muse) really appreciates it. Hope you'll like this chapter!!**

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* * *

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A week had passed ever since the public duel between Blaise and Draco in the Great Hall and neither of the Slytherins were talking to each other. It was a good thing that Draco had his own room so the two wizards only came across each other during classes and mealtimes. Which they avoided each other in the manner of avoiding being infected with dragon pox. The other Slytherins have also wisely taken the path of way not to mention Blaise's name in front of Draco and vice-versa. They were smart enough to know that they value their own hides more than their curiousity.

They had both served a full week's worth of detention with their Head of House, mostly cleaning the cauldrons, restocking the ingredients in the supply closet and preparing the ingredients(the slimy, stomach churning ones) for a class. All without magic of course. And perhaps it was only because of the constant presence of Prof. Snape at each detention did the two wizards didn't continue their duel in the stressful atmosphere. The only good thing(probably) that came out of the debacle was that Draco had more time on his hands and more commitment for the planning of the upcoming ball.

"Granger, have you submitted the budget to Dumbledore,yet?" Draco asked suddenly from his favourite spot on the sofa in the common room they shared. Hermione, who was rereading her Potion's essay on the easy chair gave a muffled curse and bounded up the stairs to her room where Draco could hear the girl shuffling papers around in her room, looking for the piece of paper that she was supposed to submit to Dumbledore during lunch that day but somehow, the Head Girl had forgotten all about it.

Draco chuckled to himself as he resumed sucking on the peppermint quill, feeling amused at the curses that left the girl's mouth as she berated herself while searching for the piece of paper when came a knock on the portrait hole. For the first time for that week, Draco proceeded to do something good naturedly. He pulled open the portrait by the handle to find someone who he has been dreaming about so constantly at night standing in front of him, looking extremely nervous.

It was as if time passed by the both of them very slowly as grey eyes met dark ones.

He could hear Hermione moving about in her room as he locked gazes with Anya.

She could feel her heart beating in her chest as she faced Draco.

An awkward silence.

"Is Hermione here?"

He answered by stepping back, giving her space to walk through. Nervously, she stepped into the room, making sure not to brush pass him but just after the portrait closed behind her, she felt a hand wrapped itself around her wrist, halting her steps. She turned her head to looked at him, her eyes silently pleading him not to do anything to her. He reached forward, his free hand sliding into the front pocket of her jeans while he kept his eyes locked on hers. He slowly pulled out something.

The anklet dangled from between his fingers.

_How did he knew I had the anklet in there_, Anya wondered as he silently pulled her to the easy chair that Hermione had vacated. He kneeled in front of her, slipping the beaded sandal off her right foot. He carresed the arch of her heel, sending tingles throughout her body from a mere touch.

She held her breath when he pressed his lips briefly against the skin he had just carressed, his warm breath tickling her. He unclasped the anklet and wound it around her right ankle before clasping it back. The piece of jewelery looked even more beautiful there. The bell tinkled when he slid back her foot into the sandal. Then, slowly, the same large slightly rough hand slid up to her jeans clad leg, resting on her knee as he got to his feet.

"The bell is charmed. It can only be heard by people who knows you wearing the anklet,"

His words came out in a low whisper.

"You'll wear it and won't take it off unless I do it myself,"

He leaned closer to her, his lips were against hers, his breath hot against his skin.

She didn't even think of pulling away. Didn't even consider asking him what happened between him and Blaise. All she could think of was the memory of the feel of his lips against hers.

Then, those lips were pressed against hers. Her mind registered the hand that cradled her cheek, the taste of peppermint from his mouth, the way he nibbled on her lower lip as she sat there, letting herself being kissed by Draco Malfoy while Hermione was in a room upstairs. Any moment now and the Head Girl could just pop her head out the open door and see them.

No.

"Draco..." she managed to breathed out when he pulled away slightly to trail his lips against her jaw.

"Yes?" He asked as he pushed back her hair to one side to nuzzle the soft skin on her neck.

"We can't do this," She lost her train of thought for a moment as Draco nibbled on her earlobe.

"Hermione can come down any moment,"

"And you don't want her to see us like this," He stated matter of factly.

She nodded weakly, breathing heavily as Draco cradled her cheek in his palm. He blinked once and all skin contact between the two of them was gone. He left her feeling light headed. It was always like that. Every skin contact between them resulted in her feeling like that. Oddly helpless.

"Granger! You got a guest!"

"Who is it?"

The question came along with the Head Girl emerging from her room, a piece of paper in her hand. Hermione smiled brightly at the fellow muggleborn as she descended the stairs. Personally, she was very glad that she had managed to salvaged the situation between Anya and Ron. True to her words, she had walked all over the castle looking for the girl whom she was sure was hurting from Ron's words at the moment. Her first thought was to search the Gryffindor Tower but a quick query at Neville who has been sitting in the common room told the Head Girl that Anya hadn't retreated to the comfort of the dorm she shared with Parvati and Lavender.

_A quick look around the library was enough to ensure her that Anya wasn't there. The Room of Requirement was not an option as Hermione was positively sure that Anya didn't knew about that place. Exasperated after walking aimlessly along the hallways, Hermione had carelessy looked out a passing window and saw the Holy Grail to her search talking to Blaise Zabini. She saw the girl tracing something on the wizard's cheek and how the latter had pulled away at her touch. She saw how the boy avoided her gaze and ran his hand through his hair, a gesture that confirmed Hermione's suspicion that he was in a mild stressful situation. After seeing Anya slipping her hand into Blaise's, Hermione decided that Ron's apology will have to wait._

"Hi Anya! What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to borrow your Arithmancy notes from last week,"

Hermione took note of her flushed cheeks, the way she shifted uncomfortably in her seat as her eyes sometimes glanced at Draco who was nonchalantly sucking on a peppermint quill as he flipped through his Potions book looking for whatever it is he's looking for. _Hmm...looks like Malfoy had once again succeeded in making an innocent Gryffindor feeling uncomfortable in his presence._

"Sure. Why don't you go up to my room The notes are in a blue file on my desk,"

The second Anya entered her room, Hermione whirled to face Draco, her arms crossed over her chest with her eyes narrowed at him.

"Okay. Fess' up Malfoy. What did you do to her?"

Draco raised a blond eyebrow.

"I let her into the common room, that's all,"

"Yeah right. You're telling me all you did letting her into the common room and you turned her into a blushing schoolgirl just with your extremely good looks,"

_More like seducing her subtly by putting on the anklet and kissing her_.

"I never thought you thought so highly of me, Granger. Do my extremely good looks has the same effect on you too?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes even more.

"You're ..."

Whatever she wanted to say, Draco never found out because at that moment, he could hear the soft tinkle of a bell. And footsteps coming down the stairs. In an instictive move, his grey eyes focused on the witch, noting the fading blush on her cheeks, how it made her looked even more ... delectable.

His eyes never left her.

For the umpteenth time, Anya wondered whether the connection that Draco had forged between them had any unwritten side-effects. She didn't remember feeling extremely flustered as one of them. A tattoo of a dragon on her right wrist, yes. The said dragon being responsive to her emotions, yes. Disabling any skin contact with any guy apart from Draco, yes. Feeling exteremely flustered whenever the young Malfoy touches her, kisses her and looks at her in the current manner, no. She was cursing the heat on her cheeks, fully aware that Hermione was looking at her and Draco though the latter was viewed with suspicion by the Head Girl when somehow, she managed to lose her footing on the seventh step, from the bottom. Which provides quite the distance to fall.

The fall happened in a slow motion mode for the two on watchers. Hermione heard the small shriek. Draco saw how the girl fell a bit sideways. Both of them saw her head collide with the stairs' banister and heard the loud thud. There was still the cold marble floor waiting for her to fall on and it was only at the moment did the Head Boy's Seeker reflexes kicked in.

To say Draco lunging forwards and catching Anya while falling himself was a dramatic act, was a bit of an exageration. But never being the sour grapes type of person, Hermione had to give the Slytherin some credit for acting the hero although he was a bit clumsy in doing so.

* * *

Her head was throbbing with pain and there was something wet and warm on her forehead. She heard two voices, one was laced with panic while the other was steady and calm. Hermione and Draco.

"We got to get her to the hospital wing!"

"Steady Granger. Don't go and have a panic attack on me. Potter and Weasley will say I had put a curse on you,"

She was in a pair of strong arms. Draco's. Her head was leaning against his chest and she could feel his chest rumbling when he spoke. She could hear his breathing as he walked with Hermione towards the hospital wing, bickering lightly with the Head Girl on the way. Subconciously, she snuggled closer towards his warmth, breathing in the peppermint scent he had from the quill he favoured so much.

"Is she waking up?"

A warm hand cradled her cheek.

"No,"

Silence. The pain was getting worse but being in Draco's arms had a way of making the pain more bearable. If only she could stay where she is forever.

"Just out with the question Granger,"

"Why do you assume that I-"

"You have that look on your face,"

"What look?"

"That look you get everytime before you raise your hand in class to ask a question. So out with it Head Girl,"

"Why did you change? I mean, where's that Mudblood nonsense you had last year?"

She felt him stiffened slightly. HIs voice was unemotional when he answered, another rumbliing underneath her cheek.

"Something made me changed my perspective of Muggleborns this summer,"

"What was it?"

Silence fell for a moment too long that she thought he would never answer Hermione's question. But then came the sound of a door being pushed open and she could sense the room that they had just entered were brightly lit. She heard footsteps and another voice.

"Put her on that bed,"

She felt the tip of a wand against her forehead and the pain ebbing away slowly.

"Enervate,"

She opened her eyes, squinting against the sunlight to see a figure standing beside her while two more were standing at the foot of the bed.

"Are you okay, Ms. Zainudin?"

"Headache. Feels like my head is splitting."

"You should, judging by all the blood. Here, drink this,"

She took the glass of blue liquid and drank it all. It had a bittersweet taste which stuck itself in her mouth. Instantly, she felt drowsy and darkness fell over her as she fell asleep.

* * *

Draco and Hermione stood at the foot of the bed, neither of them saying anything as Madam Pomfrey waved her wand over Anya's head while muttering incantations underneath her breath. After a minute, the woman out down her wand and took a piece of cloth from the bedside table and dipped it into a bowl of warm water before wiping the blood away from her forehead and cheeks.

"Which one of you would tell me what happened to Ms. Zainudin that had made her bleeding so much blood?"

Both of them caught the note of accusation in her tone.

"We didn't even do anything!"

"Honestly Madam Pomfrey, do we look like a pair of clumsy idiots that bring harm to others? That's Potter and Weasley,"

"Shut up Malfoy!"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed how clumsy your best friends could be, Granger,"

"Why you little-"

"Would one of you just tell me what happened?!"

The Head Boy and Head Girl stopped their bickering, the latter sporting a slight flush on her face, her lower lip between her teeth. Draco however, looked unperturbed.

"She lost her footing and fell down the staircase in the Heads' Common Room."

"What was she doing there Mr. Malfoy?"

"She came over to borrow my Arithmancy notes Madam Pomfrey."

The nurse nodded her head as she finished cleaning the blood, banishing the cloth and bowl with her wand before turning to the two students.

"Ms. Zainudin would have to sleep the night here and she will be released by lunchtime tommorow so make sure someone will be here to meet her as she will be bound to be a bit dizzy and need some help to get to her classes. Now out the two of you. My patient would be needing loads of rest which she won't get with your bickering,"

Grudgingly, the Gryffindor and Slytherin left the hospital wing. Outside the double doors, the hallway seemed very dark compared to the room that they had just exited. The two of them spared a glance to the other before starting to walk back to their shared common room.

"You haven't answered my question yet, you know,"

"What question?"

The oblivious-innocent-clueless approach.

Which didn't worked well with a Malfoy considering their devious-cunning-sly nature.

"Don't act stupid. You know what I mean. What was the thing that made you changed?"

Draco took a moment to think back of his past summer and how different it was to the summers before that.  
"Just a coming-of-age gift that I received,"

The conversation stopped there as Hermione took a different turning that led towards the Headmaster's office. She took a step before turning back. Her head were tilted to the side as her eyes roved over the unmoving Slytherin who was looking back at her curiously.

"What are you looking at Granger?"

"Make sure you change your shirt before you do anything else," Hermione answered simply before walking off, the budget safely in her pocket to be presented to Albus Dumbledore. Draco however, looked down at his shirt and lets out a groan. His pristine white shirt, now had half of the front covered with blood. The blood of a mudblood. But, honestly, Draco Lucius Malfoy didn't give a damn about it.

Meanwhile, in the privacy of the nearly empty hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey started the routine of changing her patient's attire. With a flick of her wand, the long sleeved top and jeans were replaced with hospital's bedclothes, the former folded neatly on the bedside table. Seeing the gloves on her patient's hands, the nurse put down her wand and proceeded to take the article with care, clucking dissaprovingly at how pale her hands were. She then started to tuck the girl into the sheets when a movement from the girl's right wrist caught her eye. Curiously, she turned the hand so the palm will face her.

In all her years of being a nurse at Hogwarts, Poppy Pomfrey had gotten used to the body arts that some of the students seem to favoured, regardless of what year it was. Mostly, they were muggleborns or halfbloods with the rare pureblood thrown in. Sirius Black was one of the minority. She knew that by his seventh year, the youth had a tattoo of a black large dog on his right chest, his initials in cursive on the inside his left wrist and a very discreet one on his right hip which she had only seen when he had gotten himself bit by something mysterious(according to him of course but she knew better). It came as an odd relief when she found out that the other three Marauders didn't have the same interest.

After all of her discreet observations, the witch knew that most of the boys prefered to tattoos and sometimes an ear piercing while the girls who could stomached the pain from the piercings as the body art are only done in the Muggle-come-with-pain-way indulged themselves with the more exotic piercings that they hid underneath their clothes. Even if they decided to indulged themselves on a tattoo, the art would always be on the small of their back, their ankle or at the side of the hip. A tattoo on the inside of one's wrist wasn't the norm among the young witches, she told herself as she bend her head slightly to take a closer look, full of intriguity.

It was a tattoo of a black dragon, curling contentdly with its wings folded on its back. Another look showed that the shiny black scales had silver tips. A small furrow appeared between her brows as she vaguely remembered having seen the same design once when suddenly the dragon snorted a puff of smoke out through its snout, startling the nurse with the simple movement. Poppy Pomfrey shook her head as the silver eyes glared at her, the wings spreading as the dragon adapted an imposing stance, as if in defence. Her shrewd eyes narrowed as she realised that the dragon wasn't a regular Muggle tattoo but more of a wizarding mark. And the only other wizarding mark she had ever seen was the one on Severus Snape's arm. The Dark Mark.

The Headmaster should be notified about this, the nurse told herself as she threw a handful of green powder into the fireplace in her office.

* * *

The door had just closed behind Hermione Granger when the fire in the fireplace of his office had turned green and grown considerably in size. He put down the budget that the Head Girl had just given to him and looked at the head in the fire. Poppy Pomfrey. Judging by the look on her face, Albus guessed it had something to do with her just admitted patient whom he had heard the admittance and accident about from the Gryffindor that had just left his office.

"Something the matter, Poppy?" he asked as he opened the lid of a small jar in front of him, taking out a handful of his vices. Lemon drops.

"There is something I've noticed on the person of Ms. Zainudin, Albus that I think you should take a look at,"

"Is this thing bringing her harm, Poppy?" Albus asked as he got up from his chair, putting the handful of lemon drops into the front pocket of his sea green robes.

"The contrary, Albus! You should come here to see it for yourself," With those words, the head dissapeared with a 'pop' and the flames turned into its normal orange-red colour, leaving the Headmaster to wallow in his own thoughts in the short period of time that took him to throw a handful of green powder into the fireplace and said the words that will bring him to his destination.

"Hospital Wing,"

* * *

At first she was in darkness, it was so quiet that she couldn't even hear her own breathing. Then she heard a whisper, like the wind passing through a field of overgrown grasses. And as the seconds ticked, the whispers became more frequent and louder. She could even catch a stray word or two.

Mark.

Concern.

Harmless.

Danger.

Precautions.

Property.

Secrecy.

A feeling of dread were sparked inside her when the words sunk into her mind. They were talking about her. They had seen the mark on her wrist and had figured out who she really is. They'll find out about the ritual she had with Draco and then they will surely send her ...

"Ms. Zainudin,"

The voice was kind yet strong. A voice that made her opened her eyes to looked up into a pair of bright twinkling blue eyes belonging to the great Albus Dumbledore whom was standing at the side of the bed. She blinked her eyes slowly before refocusing them on the Headmaster, the feeling of dread was back in her stomach, growing even bigger when she saw those bright blue eyes flicked momentarily towards her wrist, the mark on full display to the sharp eyes of her visitor. Her instincts made her turned her hand, pressing the inside of her wrist against the bedsheets although her mind was shouting at her that the wise wizard had already seen it during her bout of unconciousness.

"You don't have to hide that from me, Ms. Zainudin although I should had been smarter and not touched it earlier without checking its magical properties," She looked up at the trace of amusement's in the old man's voice, suprised to not see any signs of dissaproval on his face. Her eyes seeked his hand where to her dismay was a small burn mark, courtesy of the 'relationship' she had with the Head Boy.

The Headmaster saw the look of fear and worry on her face. As if fearing something. He continued watching the student who was determined to not look him in the face and got the answer or more precise, the reason of her fear.

Wisely, he took the seat beside her bed, waiting for his student to look at him with her own willingness and not due to his prompting and thankfully, he only had to wait for a minute brfore the pair of dark eyes looked at him. He smiled his infamous serene smile.

"I'm not hurt, Ms. Zainudin and a Healing Charm had taken away only the pain and the burn mark is only for show. But I do wish to talk to you about the mark on your wrist if it is okay for you,"

There was something in the bright blue eyes that made her unable to refused him. Made her feel as if she could tell him her secret. She played with the sheets underneath her fingers, feeling the cotton against her skin and couldn't helped comparing it to how silk sheets had felt against her skin.

"What do you wish to talk about Proffesor?"

"Why don't we start with how our Head Boy had been treating you"

* * *

When Dumbledore had asked Anya that question, the insides of her mouth had gone dry and she felt as if something had gotten stuck in her throat. Her breath. She let it go, taking in fresh oxygen that helped her bit by bit to clear her head so she could answer the question. One look at his face and she knew the play-dumb approach would not only be useless, it would make her seemed rude and insolent. Ungrateful towards the man who had just told her she wouldn't be expelled.

"Can you be more specific sir?"

"How was his reaction when he had first ... acquired you?"

"He was ... kind. Thanks to Narcissa who made sure he never did anything he shouldn't. He didn't want to mark me at first but I told him I'm willing to be marked if he'll bring me to Hogwarts,"

"What prompted your request?"

The question brought back memories of being cornered by Lucius Malfoy, his lewd remarks and suggestions ringing in her ears.

"The older Malfoy ...well, it seems that when he found out that Draco hadn't marked me yet couple of weeks after being told to he thought he ought to be the one to do it instead ... and he told me that and ... there wasn't any choice at the end for me,"

Dumbledore nodded his head.

"Has the young Mr. Malfoy ever harm you Ms. Zainudin?"

Anya shook her dark head, her eyes wide.

"Never Proffesor. But... he tends to be possessive at the most. He has ... problems of me being friendly with certain students..."

"Such as Mr. Zabini I presume,"

It was a statement, not a question. So all she did was confirmed it by nodding her head.

"There are two more but I don't really talk to one of them but it just happens that we were partnered up in a Potions' lesson and Draco saw him helping me in the library once. But the other one, I'm still friends with him but Draco haven't said anything about it anymore."

"Is the latter Mr.Potter?"

"Yes, sir. And the other one is Theodore Nott. "

Dumbledore kept quiet for a moment when suddenly his eyes saw the anklet around her right ankle. His eyes narrowed in concentration for a second before clearing his throat.

"Is the anklet from Mr.Malfoy?"

"Yes,"

"It seems that he's very protective of you too. That anklet had a powerful Protect Charm. It disabled anyone with bad intentions from touching you or casting a spell on you. Do you have any idea of any particular reason why he would bought something like that for you?"

She remembered how Parvati and Lavender had said she had a wealthy admirer. How expensive the anklet was due to the charm on it.

"Erm...well, I think that Blaise told him about us meeting Lucius Malfoy at the Entrance Hall on the day of the Hogsmeade visit, sir and Draco know that I'm a bit intimidated with his father,"

There was a flash of something in the blue eyes but Anya didn't know what it meant but all she knew was that the twinkle in the the eyes were even brighter than usual after that.

"This is only a guess but my guesses had often proved to be correct. I think Mr. Malfoy care about you very deeply although he doesn't show it,"

"By being possessive and protective?"

" His protectiveness does not stemmed from his jealousy but from his concern for your safety. Especially when it comes to his father. By tradition, the mark on your wrist also indicates that any other male Malfoy have the same rights on you. By giving you that anklet, he had denied his own father. That indicates that he cares about you more than the average Malfoy would and should in this situation."

That piece of information left Anya in her own thoughts for awhile, her head spinning the words around.

"Thank you Ms. Zainudin for being so co-operative. Don't worry about your secret. I assure you that both Madam Pomfrey and I won't tell anyone. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey would like to give you the rest of your sleeping potion." The old man got up from the chair he had been sitting in the past 20 minutes. That move brought her out of her thoughts and reminded her of a question that had been nagging her ever since the start of their interview.

"Sir, can you tell me how did you knew that it's Draco?"

He smiled softly at the seventh year.

"I received a letter from Bianca Zabin before the term starts, under Narcissa Malfoy's instructions I assumed and in the letter she wrote that you had a special condition but she never revealed the identity of the student marked you.At first I assumed it was Mr. Zabini but after the duel between him and Mr. Malfoy in the Great Hall last week, I realised it was the Head Boy after all. The design of your mark confirmed it. It is the same design of the pendant Mr. Malfoy has been wearing around his neck for the past few years. I had seen it during the meeting at the start of the term with him in my office. Every male Malfoy has a unique design created for them after their birth, another old pureblood tradition,"

* * *

The sleeping potion had made her fell asleep at once and this time it was a dreamless sleep. A sleep that gave her rest and comfort. When she opened her eyes again, it was still dark and a quick glance at the clock on the wall to the right told her it was just half past twelve. Slowly, she put herself into a sitting position, reaching towards the glass of water on the bedside table. The dry feeling in her throat went away as the cool liquid passed it, giving her a small degree of relief. She set the glass back on the table and proceeded to lay back when she heard the click of a door. There were curtains around the bed so all Anya could do was to listened to the faint footsteps. It didn't sound like Madam Pomfrey brisk steps. It was more like the steps of someone who wasn't supposed to be there. Someone sneaking into the hospital wing in the middle of the night.

Through the white curtains, she saw the dark figure coming closer to where she was. It was tall and broad-shouldered and familiar. She squinted her eyes slightly but thought she would see them anyway as whoever they are, they're heading towards her.

And somehow for an unknown reason, when that person, her visitor had came to the edge of curtains and leaned against the steel pole there with a box in their hands, she couldn't helped but smiled at them. She received a smile in return but one of the more melancholic type. Her visitor came closer and sat at the edge of her bed, just beside her feet where they lay underneath the sheets.

"You're going to be in trouble if anyone catches you here," she whispered.

"I know,"

**A/N: I guess most of you could already guess who's her visitor but a cliffie is still a cliffie, right? Hehe. Please review as I will greatly appreciae it and will definitely reply them. Can I have just 8 reviews this time? Please...**

**fahanizhieliq**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Six months. Between updates. I'm so sorry and I'm sure all of you are used to my excuses so I'm not going to repeat them. I want to give a big THANKS for all the reviews, more than I asked for and I'm humbly thankful for that. Anyway, here's the 19****th**** chapter and don't ask me how many more chapters are left because I'm not sure myself!! I hope you guys like this and I'm going to start on the next chapter after I get back from my dentist appointment( nasty thing actually because my wisdom tooth is coming out and it hurts and I'm afraid it will ruin the result of wearing braces for nearly 3 years). One more thing, are any of you are as excited as me because Twilight the movie is coming out on the 12****th**** of December?! I'm an Edward lover and I drooled while watching the trailer. :**

"You're going to be in trouble if anyone catches you here," she whispered.

"I know,"

"I brought you some chocolate frogs,"

"Thank you,"

For another unknown reason, she couldn't take her eyes off him. She couldn't stop looking at the silky strands of his hair, the curve of his jaw, the hand he had laid on the sheet near her feet and the expression in his eyes. She had the wild urge to put him somewhere that he couldn't escape from so she could stay in there with him and just ... study him and every single aspect of the wizard known to the wizarding world as Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. She chanced a look at his grey eyes and saw that he was curious with her peculiar behaviour. She was smiling and looking at him as if he was the answer to immortality.

"What are you doing here?"

She asked the question in a whisper, fearing that the nurse will overhear them from her room, beside the office.

He looked at her as if the answer was so obvious.

"You fell from a flight of stairs today and you hit your head on the banister and lost a lot of blood. Is that a good enough reason for me to visit you?"

His answer was sarcastic but underneath it laid his worry for her. His grey eyes held some concern for her wellbeing, a unique occurrence a fellow Slytherin would say if they were there to see it. She tilted her head to the side before getting herself into a more upright position, her knees pulled in so she could rest her chin on them. She held out a bare hand to him. The same hand that had the dragon. The same hand that had started the discussion between student and Headmaster.

He looked down at the offered hand, noting their paleness before taking it with his own. He registered how small it was compared to his as she tugged him to come closer to her. He took note of how soft it was as he complied with her demand, shifting closer until the side of his body was against her thigh. His mind filed away the fact how warm her hand was when she cupped his cheek with it, her eyes looking softly back at him.

"Draco, I'm fine. Madam Pomfrey did a good job on me and I don't even feel a thing right now,"

"And mine ending up in the hospital wing is not your fault at all. Although, I did slipped on the staircase in your common room, it has nothing to do with you,"

Liar, a voice in her head chided her. Oddly, it sounded like Blaise. You perfectly know that you lost your footing because you were all flustered at the way he was looking at you, the voice continued this time with an all knowing tune. For a moment she felt a yearning to talk to the real Blaise. He had been quite distant with her for the past week, not even bothering to sit with her in the library or in Ancient Runes where there was no Draco. She missed her friend and she knew somehow she was the reason behind him avoiding her. She only allowed herself a small pang of sadness before refocusing on the wizard who was sitting so near her, his hair so bright in the darkness of the hospital wing.

Anya made to pull her hand away from his cheek but he laid his hand on hers, a silent desire of wanting her hand there. She smiled, unable to stop the joy of expression ever since he had arrived at the hospital wing. It was all due to a piece of information, more like a guess on the Headmaster's behalf but it still had the same effect on her. A surprising one. As surprising as the information.

_"This is only a guess but my guesses had often proved to be correct. I think Mr. Malfoy care about you very deeply although he doesn't show it,"_

"_His protectiveness does not stem from his jealousy but from his concern for your safety..."_

"Are you sure you're okay?"

The question brought her out of her thoughts.

"What do you mean?"

Draco hesitated to continue. It was just that ... he had never really seen her smiling this frequently. Unless she was with those bloody Gryffindors or with Blaise. With him, it was always a small shy smile that only lasted few seconds. He had never been on the receiving end of a bright, full of joy smile from her. So, it's not wrong for him to actually think that something in her head had gone wrong when she had hit it on the banister, right? She could have a concussion and that could be the reason for her unusual giddiness. Not that he resented her for it but ... it was just plain weird.

"Are you sure Madam Pomfrey said everything's okay with you?"

He really tried to make his question come out in an off hand way. As if he was just asking about the weather and not being worried for her mental health.

"She told me that I'm perfectly fine before giving me the sleeping potion the second time. Why? Is something wrong, Draco?"

"It's nothing. But ...it's just that you seemed to be very happy,"

He watched as she opened her mouth as if to say something but then changed her mind midway, sealing those pinkish lips closed before diverting her eyes from his, her chin resting on her knees while staring at the white sheets of the hospital bed she's in, her hand falling from his cheek.

The smile was gone. And it's his entire fault.

Immediately, Draco felt a wave of guilt going through him. Not the light I-ate-a-cookie-before-dinner type of guilt but the I-just-destroyed-someone's-happiness type. Sighing deeply, he tilted her chin so those dark eyes will look at him and not at the sheets. Come on, he is definitely much better looking than something that belonged in the hospital wing, right?

"I'm glad that you happy,"

Those five words were simple and he had only said it so he could return the smile on her face. But the reaction he had got was way beyond his expectations. Instead of a smile, he found himself with...

An armful of a soft, warm, delicious smelling witch.

There must be something in the potion that makes people to do weird stuffs, Anya thought but she pushed that particular train of thought into the dustiest and darkest corner of her mind as she buried her face in the crook between his neck and shoulder, breathing in his scent deeply as if it brought her great comfort. Her arms had gotten themselves wound around his neck in her very impulsive I'm-going-to-hug-him move. She felt how stiff Draco was with her display of affection so she looked up and gave him a soft small smile.

"I'm just happy to see you Draco,"

She laid her head back on his shoulder but then she felt him shifted slightly and then she was sitting more comfortably on his lap, her head now resting against his chest. Once again, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat was there to give her comfort and slowly, her eyes started to closed. This time, she dreamt of a blond wizard with dark grey eyes on top of a white stallion, saving her from a white fire breathing dragon. She never saw the smile on Draco's face as he watched her fell asleep in his lap, her words repeating themselves endlessly in his mind. She was so deep in her sleep when Draco tucked her into her bed and after a moment's hesitation, planted a soft kiss on her lips. All she did was snuggled deeper into the sheets, a smile playing at her lips.

* * *

He was having one hell of a dream, he knew that as he sat on his throne, a dark eyed beauty sitting on his lap while lavishing sweet kisses all over his face as he watched a certain green eyed scarred youth juggling rotten apples while beside him a certain Italian wizard with dark blue eyes was dancing a ballet piece from the Nutcracker, all dressed up in a glittery pink tutu. He tasted the taste of chocolate as the familiar beauty kissed his lips with fervour that he had never seen in her apart from the one incident with the lust potion when there was a sharp poke at his side. Disgruntled, he looked down to see what was taking his attention away from the pleasure he was getting but there was nothing there. Shrugging slightly he turned back to Anya with the full intention to kiss her breath out of her but a scream escaped from between his lips when he saw Goyle's face looking at him adoringly.

"Aaahhh!!"

Silence.

"You're okay, Draco?" Pansy asked, paused in the act of spreading butter on her piece of toast. She was looking at him with a weird look on her face, obvious from her seat opposite him. Draco looked at her though wide, horror filled grey eyes before taking a look around him. He was in the Great Hall in the middle of Monday morning's breakfast with about most of the seventh year's Slytherins looking at him as if he had just revealed that his greatest dream is to be a nun. He must have fallen asleep right after taking that a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"Erm... I'm fine. Just a nightmare," he answered the witch's question rubbing his face with the palms of his hand while pushing away the sight of Goyle's face looking at him with such a ... revolting adoring expression. Urgh. He repressed the shudder of disgust from spreading throughout his body when the subject of his amazing dream turned nightmare asked him what the nightmare was about from his seat on the Head Boy's left.

"Nothing important. Just the usual being naked in the middle of the Great Hall or kissing Filch dream,"

"Whatever it is, you looked tired, Draco. Not much sleep last night?"

The look on Pansy's face suggested her thoughts that he was involved in ... carnal activities the night before which did not involved her. It wasn't a big deal actually for the witch. She had an agreement with Draco that the two of them could sleep with whomever they want to.

"Yeah. Had to finish the Potions essay Snape gave us. Forgot all about it until midnight,"

His answer satisfied most of his year mates' curiosity but as the blond chewed on a piece of kipper, a pair of dark blue eyes was looking at him shrewdly as the owner of those eyes pretended to be involved in the conversation he was having with Theodore Nott. Something about the project they had for Charms. The owner of the dark pair of eyes noted two things during the short duration of the meal.

One: Draco Malfoy did look tired. Not just plain tired but as if something had been on his mind for most of the night.

Two: Anya was not at the Gryffindor table with the Golden Trio and it seemed that the reason behind her lack of presence was being explained by the Head Girl to the two wizards who faces were expressing looks of worry and concern.

Blaise Zabini had the feeling that Draco had something to do with it whether by association or by knowledge. He'll find out about it someway.

The fight between him and his best friend had affected him in a subtle way, making him realised how he had actually enjoyed being in the blond's company. Although not willing to admit it out loud, Blaise had to agree with the voice in the head (which sounds just like his mother) that he kind of missed his friend.

_You have to be the bigger man. Go and apologise to him._

_It's not my fault. He's the one who can't keep a firm hold on his jealousy._

_Just swallow that pride of yours._

_Not before he takes back what he had accused me of. As if I'm some kind of traitorous, back-stabbing kind of snake that can't just wait to..._

_But what he said it true. Right? _

_The voice was smug and Blaise could see his mother's beautiful face looking at him with a I-know-I'm-right-again look._

_No!_

_Don't try to deny it Zabini. You have been having some not so innocent thoughts about your friend's dear luscious witch._

_Only after he accused me of it!_

_Tsk. Tsk. You're just like your father. Always putting the blame on someone else. I thought I taught you better than that Blaise Adrian Zabini._

It's confirmed. His mother is the voice in his head.

_But it's not like I was actually waiting for him to release her._

_Aah...You were actually thinking what you would have done if she was yours instead. _

_Just an idle thought._

_Yeah right. Idle enough to think about how you would claimed her so that the whole of Hogwarts would know she belongs to you. How you'll spend the nights. The various ways to debauch her. Is that idle thinking my dear son?_

And right after that, the voice in his head decided to take a holiday somewhere in the Alps where it could not make him feel more guilty.

* * *

Double Potions ended without any cauldrons being melted or potions exploding and covering the dungeon walls with sticky mysterious substances. All thanks to the lack of one Neville Longbottom in the class. Professor Snape had made sure that bumbling dunderhead (his own words) would not set foot in his class once the Potions section of the O.W.Ls ended. Unfortunately, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter had managed to slip into his N.E.W.Ts class with their brainy female friend.

That day's class was all about theory as the Head of Slytherin didn't want to disturb the pairing arrangements as he was short one student. Blaise Zabini exited the class without obtaining any information on the matter of Anya's absence. He had Ancient Runes next with the class being filled with mostly Ravenclaws with him being the only Slytherin while Hermione and Anya were the only two Gryffindors. Hermione...Wait!

Blaise let the ghost of a smirk appeared on his face at the thought of having the Head Girl alone without her bodyguards flanking her. With a satisfied mental pat on his back, the Italian wizard headed towards his next class. He didn't even notice the Head Boy glaring at his retreating back.

* * *

"What happened to her?"

Hermione lets out a soft sigh. So that was the reason why Blaise Zabini had decided to sit beside her in Ancient Runes although the class was lacking the presence of one Anya Zainudin. She glanced briefly at the wizard who was busy pretending to translate the paragraph they had been given as that day's task.

"She's in the hospital wing,"

She answered while perusing through a thick textbook.

"What happened?"

Blaise's grip on his quill tightened.

"She fell from the staircase in the Heads' common room,"

"How?"

"She lost her footing and fell down about seven steps from the bottom. Her head hit the banister but luckily, Malfoy was there to catch her before she hit the floor,"

Both of the seventh year stopped their talking when the professor walked beside their table, stopping to check on their progress with their translations. She went on after a short moment, satisfied with the two students.

"Is it bad?"

"Just a cut and some blood loss,"

"When is she's being release?"

"Lunchtime,"

Lunchtime. He'll be there before anyone else. He'll be the one that will walk with her to the Great Hall and...

_Don't even think about it Blaise Adrian Zabini._

_Damn. Are you back from the Alps already?_

_Is that the way you speak to your mother? I taught you better than that. You're just like your ..._

_Father. I know. I've heard that so many times already._

_Then why in Circe's name are you thinking of breaching your friendship with Draco even further?_

_I'm not doing anything except for being concerned about a friend. A friend._

_Haha. A friend indeed. A friend that you clearly know belongs to one of your oldest friend._

"Zabini?"

Hermione's voice interrupted Blaise's inner monologue with the voice in his head. He turned to look at the Gryffindor who was looking back at him curiously, her brows knitted together

"Yeah?"

"Madame Pomfrey asked for someone to come and pick her up from the hospital wing at lunchtime. Do you want to do that?"

For a moment, Hermione's question stunned Blaise, leaving the wizard looking at her with a blank expression. After a second or two, Blaise mentally gave his head a shake.

"Sure," he nodded at the Head Girl whom smiled at him.

* * *

"Let's go to lunch boys!"

Hermione said cheerfully as she met Harry and Ron who were waiting for her at the top of the stairs of the Entrance Hall. Harry and Ron exchanged a look as Hermione walked pass them but she did not get far as each of the wizards looped an arm around one of hers.

"Forgetting something Mione?" Harry asked.

"Not at all, Harry" Hermione said after taking a moment to pretend that she's contemplating her friend's question. She made as if to walk on when Ron stopped her again.

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong with you today? You seem cheerful and not to mention forgetful. Remember Anya? We have to go and pick her up at the hospital wing,"

Hermione waved a hand carelessly.

"Oh, that. Don't worry about her. She's in capable hands,"

"Whose hands?" Harry asked.

"Blaise Zabini." Hermione answered with a cat-that-got-the-canary smile on her face.

"And why are you looking so pleased with yourself, Granger?"Ron queried.

"Well, if you have noticed this past week, Blaise and Anya re not talking, more on the former's behalf and Anya had looked so miserable with that so I thought I would kill two birds with one stone by asking Zabini to pick Anya up at the hospital wing which will lead to two of them talking again," Hermione explained lengthily, all the while with a smile on her face. She was pleased with herself and come dinnertime, Anya would have her friend back!

If only the Head Girl knew about the hitch in her 'brilliant' plan.

Draco Malfoy.

* * *

Anya sat at the edge of the bed, swinging her legs to a tune in her head as she pondered on the selection of chocolates in front of her. True, they were all chocolate frogs but it was a box of Exclusive Limited Edition Chocolate Frogs. There were the White Chocolate Frog, Dark Chocolate Frog, Nutty Chocolate Frog, Extra Jumpy Chocolate Frog, Caramel Chocolate Frog and also her favourite one, the Minty Chocolate Frog. She smiled to herself as she popped a Minty Chocolate Frog into her mouth, relishing in the taste and texture and realizing subconsciously that this particular type of Chocolate Frog reminded her of Draco. The way he taste like those damn mints he favours so much when he had kissed her yesterday and also the time in the library and also during the summer at Malfoy Manor.

Hearing the sounds of footsteps approaching the bed, Anya shrunk the box of chocolate frogs and hid it in the pocket of her school robes that Madame Pomfrey had gotten for her from her dormitory. She tilted her dark head slightly to the side as she heard the nurse talking to whomever had come to pick her up, hearing a male voice giving a response. She furrowed her eyebrows in wondering the identity of the voice's owner. Harry or Ron, maybe? Or even Draco. But she was wrong. Way wrong.

Sitting in the perfect good girl pose, Anya waited for the two to come beyond the curtain around the bed. Madame Pomfrey came first and checked the healing cut on her forehead, effectively blocking her view of the other person. She stared unblinkingly into the nurse's eyes as the older woman peered into hers.

"Do you have a headache, dear?"

"Slightly,"

A swish and flick of the wand summoned a small vial of potion from the storeroom that landed in Anya's hand.

"Take that after having some lunch and not before or you'll be having stomach cramps all day."

Anya nodded before slipping the sealed vial into the pocket that held the box of chocolate frogs.

"You're good to go Ms. Zainudin," Madame Pomfrey said crisply before turning towards the wizard behind her. "And I hope you'll make sure she eats, Mr. Zabini,"

Blaise Zabini nodded his dark head, his dark blue eyes looking straight at the person he had been subtly avoiding the past week.

"I'll do that, Madame Pomfrey,"

"I'll leave the two of you then and I hope I won't be seeing you in the Hospital wing anytime soon Ms.Zainudin." Madame Pomfrey said sternly but there was a smile on her caring face before she head for her office, leaving the two teenagers together.

Silence.

An awkward moment.

Which Blaise decided to break.

"Hey,"

"Hey,"

"By the way Granger was going on, I thought you had half of your head wrapped while being high from all of those Painless Potions, " Blaise said with a playful smirk.

"Sorry for the disappointment,"

Anya smiled and everything was well again between them.

"So you're here to bring me to the Great Hall for lunch then?" Anya asked as she slipped out the pair of black gloves from her pocket before proceeding to put them on.

"Yeah. Were you expecting someone special?"

Blaise had his eyes on her hands. They were pale and soft-looking. The fingers were long and graceful and for a moment he had an image of those fingers tracing the lines of his body.

Anya looked at her friend and for a moment, the dark hair and deep blue eyes turned into the blond hair and grey eyes of her late night visitor. She had half wished that Draco would had come to bring her to the Great Hall but then remembered that the pureblood Head Boy did not mix with muggleborns. And whatever there was between them, it was a secret only known by four souls within the Hogwarts' walls. She shook her head and got to her feet slowly.

"Not really. How about we go to lunch? I'm famished,"

Blaise nodded his dark head before offering his arm to Anya as a way to steady her steps. A gloved hand was laid on the material of his robe at the crook of his arm. The two of them began the slightly long walk to the Great Hall.

"I was wondering, how in the world did you fell from the stairs in the Heads' common room?"

"Just a slip of my foot,"

"Why were you there in the first place?"

"I needed some notes from Hermione,"

"Did you give the anklet back?"

Beside him, Anya stiffened slightly at the question.

"No."

"You're not telling me something," Blaise accused lightly.

"There's nothing,"

"There's something,"

"Nothing,"

"There's something," Blaise said in a sing-song voice.

Anya sighed, knowing the wizard beside her will never give up.

"Okay, there's something,"

"And?"

"When Hermione was looking for the notes in her room, Draco kind of cornered me,"

"Did he hurt you?"

Anya's face turned sharply to look at Blaise whom was looking at her intently.

"What kind of question is that?" She asked softly, stopping in her tracks. Blaise turned fully to face her and laid a hand on both of her shoulders, enforcing eye contact between them.

"Are you trying to avoid this question too, Anya?"

Anya looked up at Blaise's face and once again noted the differences between him and Draco. She lets out a sigh at his words, knowing that he was only concerned for her.

"Blaise, Draco will never intentionally hurt me. He promised me that and I know he'll keep his word,"

"But he's a Malfoy, Anya! Malfoys don't keep their words, everyone knows that,"

"He's your friend too Blaise."

At Anya's words, Blaise lets out a groan, knowing where their conversation was going.

"What's going on between the two of you?"

Blaise turned around to face the wall, his back facing the witch that was coming between him and his old friend while one of his hand was against the wall.

"Nothing,"

"Nothing my arse, Zabini! Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"No,"

_But I do think you have a nice arse._

"Then please tell me, what's wrong with the both of you?"

Blaise nearly jumped when Anya suddenly went under his hand to lean against the wall, facing him while being so close to him. Her face was serious as her dark eyes looked into his.

"Please," she pleaded.

Rubbing a hand against his face, Blaise decided to give her the abridged version.

"Since we were kids, the two of us always fought for the same thing. A particular chocolate frog, a broom and such. It's been quite awhile since this last happened but truth to be said, Draco and I just happen to want the same thing,"

"What-"

"Don't. I won't tell you,"

Silence.

"Okay. But can you promise me something, Blaise?"

"What?"

Blaise closed his eyes when the delectable witch hugged him, her face against his chest, and her arms around him. Her words were slightly muffled but he still heard them crystal clear.

"Promise me that the two of you will make it up soon,"

Succumbing to the temptation, Blaise finally hugged her back, his chin resting on her shoulder, careful to avoid any skin contact. After a moment, he pulled away and gave her his promise.

"I promise but I don't know when,"

That was good enough for Anya as she smiled at him, slipping her gloved hand into his and the two of them began walking again and met the Devil's spawn running towards them at the next corner.

* * *

"Why did I have to fell asleep?" Draco muttered to himself as he ran out of the Heads' common room entrance, glancing at the watch on his wrist for the third time, reminding himself once again that it was already five minutes since lunchtime started. He had planned to go to the hospital wing and with his co-Head, whom he knew was going there after her Ancient Runes class, will pick up Anya before heading to the Great Hall for lunch. Nobody will get suspicious and if they did he could just say he was doing one of his Head Boy's duties.

But as they say about the best laid plans, Draco had fell asleep on the sofa in the common room mere minutes after landing on it after coming back from Potions and had remained in dreamland until the lunch bell rang, a faint ringing sound from where he was.

He turned a corner, knowing the fact that just a couple more turns and he will be in the hospital wing area but then, something made him stopped in his tracks. And made his blood boil. His ex-best friend were walking with the last person he should, his hand holding hers( not including old Voldie who would probably Avada Kedavra anyone who decides to hold hands with him) and Draco Lucius Malfoy was seeing red.

Without a moment's thought, he marched towards the pair and with his right hand, pulled Anya away from Blaise with such force that the girl nearly fell over if it wasn't for the arm that had wrapped itself around her waist. For a moment, he was lost in the green apple scent that came to her but it was only for a while that his anger was forgotten.

"Thank you for picking her up. I think I'll take over from here, Zabini,"

Blaise's face was emotionless except for the slight tick at his temple. He stood there as Draco turned around with Anya beside him, the latter looking back at him with a half apologetic half worried look on her face but before the pair could take more than half a dozen steps, Anya found herself being yanked away from Draco, this time ending up beside Blaise who in his actions was still careful about any skin contact between them.

"I don't agree with that. I think I'm going to be walking with her to the Great Hall, Malfoy,"

Silence.

Grey eyes being narrowed.

"I was the one who brought her here so I should be the one who's going to bring her to the Great Hall, Zabini,"

Anya was now beside Draco, her hand clasped tightly in his as Blaise raised an irate eyebrow, his dark blue eyes glaring into grey ones.

"And that's not a reason for her to stay away from you? She did got hurt in your presence, Malfoy,"

The wizard beside her now had dark hair, dark blue eyes and a tanned complexion.

"I think she would prefer me to you, Zabini. Isn't that right, Anya?"

Grey eyes and blond hair looked at her but before she could even think of a response to what she thinks as a very silly question, she was pulled away from him to stand beside Blaise.

"I don't think so, Malfoy. I'm her friend. You know, the one who doesn't mind being seen with her in public."

At those words, Anya saw a familiar gleam in Draco's eyes and knew right away that he would do something. He took measured steps towards them and in a swift move, pulled Anya towards him, his arm wrapped around her waist. His free hand caressed her hair and cheeks.

"But can you touch her like this?"

Blaise stiffened as Draco smirked at him as he kissed her cheek softly, slowly trailing her jaw line with his lips.

"Draco, please," Anya pleaded, her cheeks slightly flushed as her body enjoyed the sensation that Draco's touch was giving her while her mind was screaming to her to push Draco away. He paid no heed to her words and with another smirk towards the other wizard, he kissed those pinkish lips with unbridled passion.

And with a jolt, Anya realised what exactly was the thing Draco and Blaise was fighting over.

* * *

"I wonder what's taking them so long?" Hermione wondered as she and the two other members of the Golden Trio had their lunch. It had been twenty minutes since the lunch bell had ringed and still there was no sign of either Blaise or Anya.

"Maybe Madame Pomfrey decided she's not well enough to be release yet," Ron suggested through a mouthful of his lunch.

Hermione shook her head.

"But then Zabini would be making an appearance,"

"Maybe they've been detained by something," Harry said as the double doors opened to let in three figures. One of them was heading towards the Gryffindor table, head bend, cheeks slightly flushed while the other two head towards the Slytherin table after standing still at the entrance for a moment, contemplating each other.

"Or someone,"

But the three of them kept their mouths shut when Anya arrived at the empty seat beside Hermione and without any ceremony plopped down with a groan. She clutched her head for a short moment before deftly slipping the gloves off her hand and taking out the sealed vial of potion that Madame Pomfrey had given her earlier. She began spooning some of the pasta onto her plate and took a piece of the garlic bread before pouring pumpkin juice into her goblet. She took a sip of her chilled drink before taking a mouthful of her lunch. She chewed slowly with her eyes fixed on the designs on the plate. She swallowed consciously, aware of the Trio looking at her, with curiosity and worry. She ate another mouthful before taking another sip of pumpkin juice before looking up into a pair of bright blue eyes and a pair of emerald green eyes.

"I'm fine. Just a bit of a headache," she continued when she sensed Hermione opening her mouth from her left."I just have to eat lunch before taking the Headache Potion or Madame Pomfrey will be after my blood."

"You're sure you can go to class after this? You looked a bit... flushed," Ron commented.

"Ron's right, Anya. I think you should go back to the tower after this," Harry added while looking at her with concern. From beside her, Hermione took hold of her chin gently and turned her face towards her. Her brown eyes searched her face and she nodded after a moment.

"You look a bit feverish. I'll collect your homework and tell the professors that you're sick,"

"I'm fine you guys! Just a bit dizzy but I'm sure that will go away after I take the potion,"

Her protest when unheard when the two boys in front of her was looking at someone standing behind her. Their faces held no anger and resentment but they looked a bit cautious. Which could only mean that...

"Yes, Blaise?"

He flinched slightly at the tone of her voice but he held his ground as he held out a familiar looking box to her. His dark blue eyes held hers and for a moment, she saw a flicker of regret in them before she took the box with her bare hand.

"You drop it earlier,"

"Thanks,"

Anya made to turn back to the table when Blaise said her name, making her look at him again. She raised an eyebrow at the Slytherin, waiting for him to continue. Behind her, the Golden Trio was well aware with the tension between the friends.

"I'm sorry. About ... everything,"

She dropped her gaze, looking at the box of chocolate frogs before looking back at Blaise with a sad smile. Her eyes flicked momentarily towards the Slytherin table and Blaise understood what she wanted. She wanted him to keep true on his promise to her. He nodded and reached out a hand to her slowly and patted her dark head before withdrawing.

"I promise,"

With that, he left the Golden Trio wondering what had happened between the Slytherin and their friend and Anya who was looking at his retreating back with sadness before she look at the Slytherin table, looking at the blond whom was looking at her intently. When his gaze suddenly turned to anger, she noticed that Ernie Macmillan was approaching her with a confident stride. He stopped in front of her and gave her a flourish bow that made Ron snort with laughter. The Hufflepuff looked at Ron for a moment before averting his attention back to her.

"I was wondering if you would be honoured to accompany me to the upcoming Ball?"

Ernie said this in a loud voice that caught the attention of the whole Gryffindor table and half of the Ravenclaws. Anya squirmed in her seat, her cheeks warm with embarrassment at this public display. She chanced a glance at Hermione who was looking at her with a I-can't-help-you-with-this look. Ernie was looking at her with optimism and she could feel the many pairs of eyes looking at her. But most of all, she could feel Draco's eyes on her.

**A/N: So how was it? Forgive me for all of my mistakes and please review! They're like chocolates to a chocoholic for me.**


	20. Chapter 20

A/N:Less than a month! That must be a record for the period of time taken between updates. Anyway, I would like to give my thanks to Anna for helping me edit this chapter. She is so kind(by the way, I love your system) to offer her assistance to yours truly. It kinda gave me the boost to write this chapter so quickly. Well, I hope you all like this chapter and there's this scene where a certain character gets beat up and I hope you can see the reasoning behind why he was attacked by the attackers. Before I get this longer than the chapter, read on!!

* * *

"I was wondering if you would be honoured to accompany me to the upcoming Ball?"

Ernie said this in a loud voice that caught the attention of the whole Gryffindor table and half of the Ravenclaws. Anya squirmed in her seat, her cheeks warm with embarrassment at this public display. She chanced a glance at Hermione who was looking at her with an "I-can't-help-you-with-this" look. Ernie was looking at her with optimism and she could feel the many pairs of eyes looking at her. But most of all, she could feel Draco's eyes on her.

His grey eyes were still on her as she lowered her gaze to the box in her hand before Ernie cleared his throat, reminding her that he was still waiting for her to accept his invitation to go to the upcoming Ball as his date. She looked back at the Hufflepuff whom she never had a private conversation with before and from behind her, she could hear Ron shifting around in his seat, probably holding back his laughter caused by the invitee's pompous behaviour. She took a deep breath and wondered whether she had had a day worse than today before.

"I'm flattered Ernie but," she could practically hear everyone shifting to the edge of their seats, eager to hear her reply," I'm sorry, I have to decline,"

She said this in an apologetic manner, her voice low so the blow on the wizard's pride won't be heard by the majority of the Great Hall. She gave him an "I'm-sorry" smile before turning back to face Harry and Ron, not at all eager anymore at being there. It took exactly 67 seconds, the amount of time it took for Ernie to walk away and leave the Great Hall before Harry and Ron broke out into laughter at the Hufflepuff's expense. Ron wiped away a tear from the corner of his eyes as Harry took deep breaths in order to compose himself as Hermione glared at them over the table. She turned towards Anya who was pulling on her gloves, slightly annoyed with the way her day had gone.

"I don't think I will be going to class today. Are you sure you don't mind telling the professors, Hermione?"

"Not at all. I'll tell them you have a headache from yesterday's fall,"

Anya felt a small twinge of guilt as she nodded her head. It was half the truth. She did have a headache but it had nothing to do with the injury she got yesterday. It had more to do with the fact that she was having a bad day, thanks to Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy and Ernie Macmillan. She made to get up from her seat when Harry stopped her with a hand on her wrist.

"Let me walk you to the tower. I have to go and get my Charms textbook anyway,"

"Sure,"

The two of them walked out of the Great Hall together, being watched by many due to the fact that one of the duo was Harry Potter and the other was the beautiful new girl who had just rejected Ernie Macmillan in public, an act that was speculating new perceptions on the witch. Harry had his bag slung over his shoulder as he glanced at Anya who was walking beside him, her face a troubled one.

Harry was more observant that what most of his friends credited him for and now, as he climbed the second set of steps, he knew that Ernie Macmillan wasn't the only reason the witch beside him was having a bad day. He thought back to Blaise Zabini and noted that the two must had made up earlier as they were talking to each other again after a week's hiatus in their friendship but something must had happened between the making up and the awkward moment at the Gryffindor table during lunch.

"I see Zabini is talking to you again,"

"Yeah. We patched up when he picked me up at the hospital wing," There was an underlying sadness in her words.

"Did something happen on the way to the Great Hall?" Harry made a guess as they took a right turn.

"You can say that," Anya answered simply, as if not allowing the boy-who-lived to probe further. But Harry James Potter wasn't known for giving up, for being a quitter. He was, in Ron's own words, a stubborn green-eyed mule. But he waited until they had entered the empty common room, right before they parted ways with him going to get his textbook from his dormitory and Anya heading for her own.

"You're hiding something, aren't you?" Harry noticed the way she stiffened at the question before turning towards him, her dark eyes wide with something that he identifies as fear of being found out. The fear was gone a moment later but there was still a certain wariness about her.

"What do you mean by that?"

Harry shrugged.

"There's just something going on with you and Zabini. But I think there's something more to it, like there's someone else,"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Harry," Her voice was cold but there was something in her face that told Harry that whatever secret Anya had, she was tired of hiding it.

"You're tired of hiding it,"

It was a statement, not a question.

Silence.

Anya closed her eyes before opening them to look at the boy-who-lived.

"Even if I'm hiding something, I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone,"

"Why?"

"Because I'm not the only one in the secret."

She took a deep breath and released it.

"Because you guys will hate me if you know,"

"Unless you have the Dark Mark on your arm or you're some kind of spy send by Voldemort, I don't think we'll hate you,"

At that, Anya let out a small laugh before she shook her dark head.

"You can't confirm things that you're not sure about,"

"But you can talk about it. Between Hermione's Head duties and Ron's emotional range of a teaspoon, you can always talk to me,"

"I can't do-"

"Without revealing all the details. I've been told that I'm a good person to vent to,"

Harry offered a smile and his willingness to listen to her problem.

"And I won't tell anyone,"

Anya stood at the lowest step, frozen at the spot as Harry's words twisted around in her mind and in the light confusion, the fact that she had someone who was willing to listen to her was clear. She smiled at him.

"I'll think about that," She turned around but stopped at the last question that came from the wizard.

"Why did you turn Ernie down?"

"I'll talk to you later, Harry," Anya said over her shoulder as she continued her climb.

At the bottom of the step, Harry smiled to himself before turning back towards the portrait. His Charms textbook was in his bag all along.

* * *

_"I'm human! Or have the two of you forgotten that?"_

_For a moment, the two wizards looked like two seven year olds being scolded for fighting over the toy broomstick when in reality they were both legal adults of the wizarding world. The dark haired one was looking at her with a guilty look on his face while the blond one was looking at her with no expression. A mask that she had gotten used to ever since they came to Hogwarts. The rare times that he had let himself be unguarded were the moments they were alone._

_"I know that I'm in a unique situation but that does not make me less a human,"_

_"We don't think about you that way," Blaise protested but he was cut off with a glare from Anya._

_"You're. Fighting. Over. Me."_

_"Anya..."_

_"No, Draco. I'm thankful for everything but both of you have to remember that I'm not a broomstick or some kind of object that the two of you can fight over."_

_There was finality in her voice and when she spoke again it was an ultimatum._

_"I won't talk to either of you if you don't get along again. It's stupid. The way you guys are being rivals. When the two of you have been best friends for so long. Utterly stupid."_

_She began walking away from them, towards the Great Hall when she heard the two wizards following from behind her. One of them, reached out to touch her shoulder, making her look over her shoulder into a pair of solemn dark blue eyes. Somehow, it was this wizard that made her feel even more miserable than the other._

_"Anya..."_

_"Let me ask you something Blaise. Were we really friends from the start or did you have an ulterior motive from the start?"_

_She thought back to the night where he had comforted her about Draco's possessiveness. How he had been there for her. And she had thought he was the only one she could talk to about her predicament when all along he had something other than friendship on his mind._

In the half darkness and solitude of the dormitory, Anya let the tears fall. A drop of the salty liquid made a track down her cheek, dripping onto her hand, absorbed by the material of her glove. She threw the box of chocolate frogs onto the bedside table before kicking off her shoes, allowing herself to burrow into the comfort of her bed. She let the sheets cover her up. Cover her body and her emotions as her body shook with the sobs.

It's getting so complicated.

The thought had a bitter tone to it. She had thought that her life was finally getting back to normal(except for the fact that she belongs to Draco) and she had relish her every day with her new friends. Sure, there was that no-talking-for-a-week thing with Blaise but they had gotten over it at the hospital wing so it was perfectly acceptable for her to be happy, right?

Wrong.

If only the two Slytherins hadn't decided that she was something worth to be fighting over. Something to call a duel at dawn over or something. Now, she knew why those two had attacked each other in the Great Hall a week prior. It was because of her.

Idiots.

As if she could have chosen between the two of them in her current predicament. She can't touch any guy whose name is not Draco Lucius Malfoy and they were fighting over her! It was like asking someone who's allergic to flowers to choose between a bouquet of roses and carnations.

The thought that maybe she couldn't choose between them was because they both meant something to her in their own way never crossed her mind as her eyes grew heavier and finally closed to let her rest her body and thoughts.

* * *

"I still can't believe he said that,"

"Yeah. In front of everyone,"

"Idiot. He should have look over his shoulder before mouthing off about her,"

"He deserved being hexed by Harry for saying that about Anya,"

"But did you see Zabini?"

"No. I had my eyes on Harry. Why?"

"He looked like he wanted to pound Ernie raw with his bare fists but Nott was holding him back,"

"Really? That's interesting..."

"Come on Lav, we all know that Zabini and Anya are just best friends. Nothing more,"

"Or they are just good at hiding their relationship Parv. But I had never thought that Harry would-"

The two witches left the dormitory, still chattering away about what had just happened during Charms. About five minutes later, a set of footsteps could be heard before the sound of the door being push open came. The owner of the said footsteps went towards the bed that had its deep red curtains shut around it before setting down something on the bedside table, beside a pair of gloves before slowly pulling the curtains apart to find a solemn looking face with slightly sleepy eyes looking at her.

"I brought you dinner," Hermione Granger told the bed's occupant promptly.

"You shouldn't have, Hermione. I can just go to the Great Hall if I were hungry,"

Hermione rolled her eyes before setting the tray on the bed, between her and Anya. The tray held two plates of food and two tall glasses of chilled pumpkin juice.

"I just thought you would like to avoid the Great Hall for tonight,"

The Head Girl waved her wand and two napkins folded themselves onto their laps before she buttered her roll. Anya took a sip of her drink before eating a mushroom from the gravy. She raised an eyebrow at the brunette's words.

"Does it have something to do with whatever Ernie said during Charms?"

Hermione looked at her oddly before nodding.

"I guess Parvati and Lavender were gossiping in here earlier then,"

"Yeah. But they thought I was asleep,"

The two girls ate in companionable silence until halfway through meal where one of them couldn't put a lid on her curiosity. She set down her fork before wiping her mouth with the napkin.

"What did Ernie said?"

Hermione bit her lip, a sign that she's thinking.

"Well, he said something about you being stuck-up and-"

"And what?"

"And you're thinking that you're above everyone else because you're pretty when you're just-"

"And I guess this next part is what made Harry hexed him. So what did he said?" Anya asked when Hermione hesitated the second time.

"When you're just another notch on Blaise Zabini's bedpost,"

Hermione watched as Anya's eyes glint with anger, her jaw set as her hand, a bit shaky, raised the glass to her lips. She set the glass down before taking a deep breath. She exhaled it through her nose and uttered one word under her breath.

"Bastard,"

"Then he got hexed by Harry before he could take another breath. He would had gotten attacked by Zabini too if Nott hadn't been holding him back,"

"And Harry?"

"He got a detention with Professor Snape tonight at eight,"

"Oh no,"

"He said the detention is worth it because he managed to make Ernie grow a duck's beak, boils on his face and feathers all over his body,"

Hermione smiled at the memory of how Ernie had looked until Professor Flitwick had undone the hex. The Hufflepuff really deserved it though.

"Remind me to thank Harry later,"

The two girls smiled at each other.

"I'll be glad to,"

* * *

Laden with books, the seventh year left the library with about twenty minutes left before curfew. He had been too absorbed in his research for Transfiguration that he didn't noticed that around him, the library was getting deserted by the minute. It was only when Madam Pince had swooped down at him did he realised the time.

Silence.

The hallway was silent and was sparsely lit with torches on the wall. Except for the occasional ghost walking though walls, he was alone. All by himself as he headed for the familiar warmth of the common room.

Footsteps.

Maybe it was the darkness that was making him hear things because when he turned around, he didn't see anyone else. Maybe it was a house elf, he thought. The kitchen was somewhere in the area. It was meant to be a reassuring thought but it did not meet its intention.

It was when he heard the swish of a wand and a muttered incantation from behind him, did he realised that it wasn't his imagination. Someone was following him and whoever they were, they had made him freeze in place, his eyes wildly looking around for any sign of his stalker. A moment later, he found out it was actually stalkers when two wizards stepped in front of him. Even though he couldn't see their faces clearly, he immediately knew who they were.

Fear started to coil around his insides as the two wizards looked at him with similar gleams in their eyes. He imagined seeing flashes of his life passing in front of him when the taller one pulled out his wand and fingered the tip as he asked his companion.

"So, what should we do with him?"

His companion shrugged his shoulder, a glint of sliver shining from the front of his robes as he tilted his head to the side, assessing the victim.

"It's either hexes or the old Muggle method,"

The first one smirked at him, his teeth white in the darkness.

"The hexes will probably be Dark ones but we can't risk that. The professors will know immediately."

"The Muggle way then. Good, I need the exercise,"

His eyes widened in fear as the two wizards discarded their robes and rolled up the sleeves of their oxfords. The dark one looked at his companion and in a mockery bow to his partner in crime told him.

"You first,"

Then there was pain. He felt his nose being broke and felt the rush of warm blood gushing over his lips as another fist landed on his stomach. He opened his mouth to scream and tasted the metallic taste of blood and realised that he couldn't make a noise, let alone scream. He stopped counting the number of hits until pain shot up his side as he felt a fist connecting there before he fell to the floor, writhing slightly from the pain as he waited for the next blow. But nothing came. He opened his eyes and saw the two of them crouching in front of him, anger burning in their eyes.

"Next time, you better think before you talk,"

"You're going to apologize to her in the Great Hall before Friday or we'll use the hexes on you and I assure you, they're ten times worse than what Potter did,"

"After you apologize to her, you can't look at her let alone talk to her. Or you might just find yourself some new enemies,"

"And if you talk about her again, oh, we will know, we'll pay you another visit,"

"Get it?"

As he nodded painfully, aware of the bruises forming all over him and the blood flowing down his front, he wondered the real reason behind the two wizards attacking him. He knew it was to honour a witch's honour but why? Why would these two be so protective of her? His questions remained in his mind as one of them pulled out his wand and handed it to his friend as he checked his watch.

"You better put the charm on him quickly. Snape's going to pass here in three minutes. Another thing, if you tell anyone about this warning, a curse is going to activate itself,"

There was a flash of blue, the sound of people running and silence. Then, there were two sets of footsteps heading towards him. He waited, fearing it would be his attackers again but it was far from that. The darkness turned to light and he saw two pairs of shoes in front of him and through swollen eyes, he looked up into the shocked faces of Severus Snape and Harry Potter.

"Merlin. Mr. Potter, run up to the Headmaster's office and tell him that Mr. Macmillan had been attacked and to go to the hospital wing," Snape barked towards the Gryffindor who was looking at the Hufflepuff with wide eyes as he performed a stasis spell on the injured student before levitating him.

"Hurry Potter!"

The last thing Ernie Macmillan saw was Harry Potter running towards the Headmaster's office before he passed out.

* * *

"Headmaster, don't make him excited. He's still healing,"

"I'll make sure of that, Poppy,"

"Poor boy,"

"Mr. Macmillan. I hope you're well enough to answer some questions,"

"I'm well enough, Professor Dumbledore,"

"Do you remember anything about last night?"

"I was on my way back to the Hufflepuff's common room from the library when a Freezing Charm hit me from the back,"

"Did your attacker attack you then, Mr. Macmillan?"

"Attackers. There were two of them,"

"Can you tell me who they were?"

"It's all a blur. I can't remember who they were or what house they're from,"

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing. Sorry, Professor Dumbledore,"

"It's okay. But do you know any reason why they would attack you, Mr. Macmillan?"

"No, sir,"

* * *

By that time the Great Hall was full of student hungry for their lunch, the whole student body knew about the attack on Ernie Macmillan that had occurred the night before. They knew that it was Professor Snape and Harry Potter who had found him lying in a small pool of blood in the dark. They also knew that the Hufflepuff had no memory of the identities of his attackers. But what had really got the gossip going around was the fact that those attackers had half healed the bruises and had stopped the bleeding with a well placed charm before leaving him conveniently in a teacher's path.

"Do you think they got the facts right this time?" Hermione asked later that day. It was during the free half an hour between that day's last class and dinner and the Golden Trio including Anya, was relaxing underneath the tree beside the lake. Both Ron and Anya had their bare feet in the water while Hermione leaned against the tree with Harry lying on the ground beside her, his head resting on his bag.

"You mean about the attackers?" Ron asked, looking over his shoulder.

"You have to admit that it is a bit weird," Anya said from beside him, her eyes closed with her face tilted towards the low sun.

"What kind of people attack someone and then healed the bruises, stop the bleeding and leave that person right in someone's path?" Harry mused while he wondered whether the cloud right above him was shaped like a hippogriff or a bowler's hat.

"Maybe someone who just wants to give a warning and a reminder," Hermione answered.

"And what serves better than those two, other than pain?" None of the other three answered Harry.

Ron got up to his feet and waved a drying charm towards them before slipping on his socks and shoes. He looked at the main entrance of the castle before cocking an eyebrow towards the others.

"Dinner's going to start in five minutes. How about heading back?"

"Sure,"

Hermione got up and made sure there was no dirt on her skirt while Harry stayed in his position, his eyes fixed on the cloud, with Anya still tilting her face towards the sun. Hermione picked up her bag while Ron tied his right shoelace.

"Coming guys?"

"In a minute, Hermione,"

"Anya?"

"I think I would like to stay out here for awhile. You guys go first. Save a spot,"

Neither of them saw the look exchanged between Hermione and Ron but the former nodded while the latter shrugged before saying their goodbyes and heading towards the castle. If either Anya or Harry had bothered looking at the pair, they would notice the way they had their heads together. As if they're discussing something of such a secretive nature.

* * *

"You think Harry's going to ask Anya to the Ball?"

"I don't know Ron, maybe?"

"You don't mind do you?"

"No. Why would I mind. Would you?"

"Nah. She's pretty and all but I don't think we will ever be on the same page. Harry's more suitable for her,"

"Yeah. I think Harry had a crush on her since that day at Diagon Alley,"

* * *

There was a decidedly peaceful air between the two individuals. One of them had his green eyes trained on a cloud while the other was just enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin. The two of them remained silent while their minds were thinking of the last conversation they had together the day before.

"He's a bit pompous and I gather I will be spending the night listening to wonderful tales about the great Ernie Macmillan if I went with him,"

"What?" Harry raised himself onto his elbows in order to get a better look at the witch whose back was facing him, her long dark hair falling into curls. She remained in her position as she answered him.

"You asked me yesterday why I turned Ernie down,"

"And it took you nearly a whole day to think of an answer?"

"Well, there was the shock of being asked and I had to get it settled down first,"

"Why do I feel that there's another reason?"

A pause.

"There is, isn't it? But it has something to do with that secret of yours that you just can't tell me because there's others involve as well, right?"

Anya looked over her shoulder towards Harry, an amused lips playing at her pinkish lips before she turned back to face the lake.

"Something like that,"

Harry lay back on the ground as the witch swiftly changed the subject.

"Was the attack serious?"

"From what I managed to hear before Snape threw me out of the hospital wing, Ernie had a broken rib, lost some teeth and his nose broken in two places. And bruises."

"Ouch,"

"Yeah but they did get the facts right. The attackers did half-healed the bruises and stop the bleeding. As if they didn't want to be view as completely cruel,"

"And he can't remember who attacked him?"

"No. He had two spells put on him. The first made him forget their identities while the next was to ensure that the professors wouldn't be able to trace their magical signatures from the charms they did,"

"That's odd but it does explain why they attacked him the Muggle way. Using their fists and brute strength. So there won't be too many magical signatures to cover up,"

"It was an odd spell. Not many know about it, according to what Hermione managed to look up in the library during the lunch,"

A thought came to Anya as she pulled her feet out of the water and dried them with a Drying Charm. She decided to transfigure her shoes into a pair of sandals and her socks were stuffed into a side compartment of her bag. The school day had ended so the dress code was no longer in power. Her fingers absentmindedly played with the anklet around her right ankle as she look at Harry.

"Why is the spell is so unknown?"

Harry got up, his dark hair a mess with bits of dead leaves in them as he thought about the spell that Hermione had explained to him earlier. He cocked his head to the side as he scrutinized the girl in front of him.

"It's more like one of the spells that you learn from your family. Like something that had been passed down the generations,"

It was clear to her right now. She knew who had attacked Ernie Macmillan. Well, she was sure of one of them but the she was half sure about the other. She looked up at Harry and smiled at the sight he presented her. He literally looked like he had been rolling around on the ground.

"Do I have something on my face?" Harry asked, a bit uncomfortable.

"No. But your hair looks like it could use some cleaning. Hold still,"

She was careful to make sure there were no skin contact between them as she plucked out the bits of leaves from his hair. It was softer than it looked and somehow, she remembered the silky strands of Draco's hair. She pulled back after ruffling his hair, making no difference to how untidy his hair was.

"Hermione told me what you did before Charms. That's awfully nice of you,"

"That's me. The hero of damsels in distress," Harry said while imitating the cocky confident way of his father that he had seen in Snape's pensive. Anya rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say Mr. Saviour," She got up and slipped her feet into the sandals, bringing Harry's attention to her ankle. Or to be more precise, the anklet.

"You decided to wear it after all," Harry commented as the two of them entered the Entrance Hall. Anya looked at him with a sideway glance.

"What?"

"The anklet,"

Anya looked down at the gift from Draco. It was pretty and she had come to like it.

"I decided that I like it after all,"

The two of them entered the busy Great Hall, nearly everyone was busy eating that day's delicious dinner. Anya gazed towards the Slytherin table and saw something that confirmed her suspicion. Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini were sitting together and they were laughing. She turned back to Harry who was looking for Ron and Hermione along the length of the Gryffindor table. He spotted them and pulled Anya by her gloved hand towards them and before reaching their saved seats, he looked at her over his shoulder, his green eyes shining with mischief.

"Are you opposed to Ernie alone or does the rest of the male population is not to your preference as well?"

It was an odd question and her eyes betrayed her as they strayed towards the two Slytherins again before looking back at Harry.

"I'm open to quite a few choices,"

She decided that a talk with two Slytherins were in demand.

**A/N: So? What do you think? Tell me your thoughts about everything( the relationship between Anya and Harry, the attack and so on) in a review. Before that, I would like to give a thanks to all who reviewed the chapter before. Thank you.**

**fahanizhieliq**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hey there! Okay, I know, 5 months and I'm sure you don't want to hear to my usual excuses so all I'm going to say is, I'm sorry (insert puppy dog face). Anyway, yesterday I had a scare with my laptop cos somehow the new password kinda slipped my mind and I had to take it to the centre and it was thanks to this technician, he managed to hack through the Vista and save everything on my laptop. I nearly hugged him in joy. Enough with my chattering and here I present the next chapter.**

Anya made the resolution to have a talk with Blaise and Draco on Tuesday. She was slightly irritated at not getting a chance to do so on Wednesday. She thought that maybe the two were avoiding her on Thursday. She was convinced that Hogwarts and its inhabitants have a conspiracy of making sure that she will not get either wizards alone going on Friday. When Saturday morning came a-rolling, it was a moody witch that went down to the Great Hall for breakfast before that day's Hogsmeade visit.

"Morning sunshine!"

Harry got a glare in return for his greeting but the boy-who-lived only chuckled as he resumed buttering the piece of toast in his hand. He already guessed that her bad mood must have something to do with a certain Slytherin. He pushed a bowl of cereal towards her as she sat down in front of him with a big smile on his face, intending to see more of her bad mood personality.

"Cereal?" he offered. This time, he got a scowl but the girl took the bowl and looked for the milk jug which was on her left, just in front of Ron who was busy eating what looks like a self made bacon sandwich, dripping with mayonnaise and mustard.

"Milk please?"

The redhead said something through a full mouth that sound something like him having no hands free and the jug was eventually passed to her by Hermione who had just finished writing down something on a piece of parchment. Anya muttered her thanks and proceed to drown the cereals in a sea of chilled milk before picking up a spoon. The four of them remained in companionable silence with each of them eating their own choice of breakfast until an eagle owl swooped down towards them and landed right in front of Anya.

The owl stood there with a regal and haughty air, not a feather was out of place. When Ron moved closer to get a better look at it, it glared at the redhead before looking down its beak and turning towards Anya. It held out a leg that had a small cloth bag and a scroll with the Zabini's crest on it.

"Hello there, handsome," Anya cooed, her bad mood forgotten at the owl's arrival. To the Trio's amusement, the owl puffed out its chest and preened its feathers. She reached out her hand and petted the owl on its head before relieving the owl of its package. She pushed her bowl towards the owl and with a tiny nod from the dignified bird, it began eating what was left of the milk and cereal.

"What's in the bag?" Hermione asked.

Anya answered by pulling out something from the bag and held it in her palm. It was a chocolate frog. And judging by the small green specks all over it, it was a Minty Chocolate Frog. Her favourite. She popped it into her mouth, letting the chocolate and mint invade her tastebuds.

"Chocolate frogs" Harry stated.

"Want one?" Anya held out the small bag to the others and with a "Thank you", they each took one.

"Is this a Minty Chocolate Frog?" Ron asked after biting the head off.

"Yeah. My favourite actually but if it is a chocolate frog, I'll eat it," the witch said, confirming the fact that she was a chocolate frog lover.

"Tell me, are you dating the heir to the founder of chocolate frogs?" Ron queried in such a serious manner that Harry wondered whether there was something in the chocolate frog that the redhead had just swallowed. Anya and Hermione fought down their smiles.

"You got me, Ron. I'm engaged to the heir of the chocolate frog legacy. He's courting me by sending chocolate frogs every week," Anya answered in a manner equal to Ron's. A moment later, all four of them broke into laughter.

"Actually, I have a very good friend who knows how much I love chocolate frogs and thinks that by sending me a bagful of Minty Chocolate Frogs, they would get back in my good books,"

"Is it working then?"

"They're halfway there, Hermione,"

The eagle owl that had been quietly finishing the remains of Anya's breakfast suddenly gave Anya a playful peck on her hand, reminding her of the scroll in her hand.

"Oh, sorry. I'll get to it right now,"

Aware of the others' interest in the scroll, Anya hope that it was only a letter from Bianca Zabini. As she unrolled it, the smell of cinnamon wafted to her nose which reminded her of the beautiful witch.

_Anya,_

_If my son had done his task efficiently, I'm guessing that you're reading this in the Great Hall while you're having your breakfast. Anyway, I heard that the Halloween Ball is in a week's time and my dear friend and I had a talk and we came up with the most brilliant idea! We already asked the Headmaster for his permission so you don't have to worry about anything. Blaise will meet you at the Three Broomsticks at ten o' clock so the two of you could Floo from there. We'll have a great time today. See you soon._

_Bianca_

It was the perfect chance for her to have a talk with Blaise. And judging by the 'dear friend' mentioned in the letter, Anya had the feeling that Draco would be coming along to wherever they're going.

"Tell him I'll meet him there," Anya said to the eagle owl and with a solemn nod, the bird took of and flew low, heading towards the other side of the Great Hall where it landed on the shoulder of Blaise Zabini. The dark wizard looked up from his conversation with Draco when the owl playfully nibbled on his ear. A moment later, he exchanged a smirk with the blond.

"Who was the letter from?" Hermione asked as she put away the piece of parchment she had been writing on.

"Blaise's mom. She wants me and Blaise to Floo from the Three Broomsticks to Merlin knows where."

"Why?"

"I think it has something to do with the Ball,"

"Bound to be some shopping then." The Head Girl concluded and Anya agreed with her. She turned towards Ron who had just finished his breakfast before asking her,

"So who you're going with, Anya? Hermione here is going with Malfoy,"

At the mention of her name, Hermione pretended to be interested on the patterns of the plate in front of her. That was probably the reason why she didn't notice the sudden stiffness of Anya's posture. The latter however, shook her head mentally before clearing her throat, putting a carefree tone in her voice.

"No one,"

Before Ron could ask anything else, she turned towards Hermione, a curious look on her face.

"You're going with Draco Malfoy?"

Brown eyes met dark eyes.

"Professor Dumbledore thinks that it will promote unity among the houses. But apart from arriving together and having the first dance together, we're free to do whatever we want."

"Oh,"

Hermione's face broke to a smile as she change the subject.

"And what about you? From what I heard you got a line of guys waiting to ask you to go to the Ball with them."

Anya rolled her eyes as the two wizards gawked at the new piece of info. She had hoped that none of them would find out about that. The others had asked her in private either through face to face or a message delivered by an owl.

"Just a few but I haven't had more than a handful of conversations with most of them and there was that Ravenclaw that I had never seen before."

"Who are they?" Harry asked, curious.

Anya gazed at him and saw the unspoken question in his green eyes. He wanted to know if the person who was involved in her secret was one of them. She smiled softly at him, neither of them noticing the look exchanged between Hermione and Ron.

"No one that I want to go with,"

* * *

"You're not herding the first years this time?" Ron asked Hermione after five minutes into their walk to Hogsmeade. Hermione shook her head, making her dark brown curls fly around her face.

"I'm going to take them back to Hogwarts this time,"

Ron looked over his shoulder to where Anya and Harry were walking together about ten feet away before looking back to his best friend of nearly seven years. His blue eyes were alight with excited conspiracy as he leaned closer to the Head Girl.

"When do you reckon he's going to ask her?"

"Who?" Hermione pretended to be clueless.

"Harry and Anya, of course! I'm positively sure that Harry fancies Anya and as you said before, Harry is a 'fanciable' lad so, when do you reckon he's going to ask her?"

Hermione tilted her head towards the sky for a moment, thinking about the redhead's question before levelling her gaze back towards Ron.

"Honestly? I'm not even sure if Harry's going to ask her. And my reason is," Hermione raised her palm towards Ron when he showed signs of interrupting her before continuing," I think, Anya likes someone else and I don't even think he's a Gryffindor, it could be Zabini but I'm not sure. But when it comes to Harry, I don't know what to say. Sometimes, I'm so sure that he fancies her but there are moments that I feel that he has found someone that he can somehow relate to on certain levels,"

"On what levels?"

"Well, they're both orphans and those two have to be the most secretive people I've ever met. Harry tends to hide things from us and there's something about Anya that tells me she's hiding something that she doesn't want anyone to know."

"So, you don't reckon Harry's going to ask her?"

Ron asked with a childish manner, sparking Hermione's laughter. She raised her eyebrows before stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

"I don't know, Ron but if he does ask her, I sure hope she'll say yes ,"

And as one, the pair of them stole a look over their shoulders toward the other pair, both of the laughing at something that only they knew.

"Same here, Mione,"

"I heard Ernie apologised to you during lunch yesterday,"

Harry commented halfway throughout their walk to the wizarding village. In front of them, he could see Hermione and Ron laughing at something the latter had said. Anya nodded, her hands burrowed in the pockets of her coat. She shook the stray strands of her hair away from her eyes before addressing her walking companion.

"And how did you know about that? I thought you were late for lunch yesterday,"

Harry shrugged.

"By the time I arrived at the Great Hall, there were a group of Ravenclaws gossiping about it near the entrance,"

"He said something about feeling bad about what he said about me and how he should had just accepted the fact that I didn't want to go to the Ball with him,"

Harry gave a hmm.

"Then he ran back to the Hufflepuff table while looking over his shoulders as if he was going to be attacked at any moment."

Harry said nothing in reply but in his silence, he was thinking that maybe Ernie MacMillan was expecting another attack from his mysterious attackers. But there was another possibility swimming around in the Boy-Who-Lived's thoughts. Maybe, just maybe, the Hufflepuff was making sure that someone had seen him apologizing to Anya.

* * *

The four of them entered the crowded Tree Broomsticks, appreciating the warmth and cheerfulness the bar was giving out. Anya immediately sought out the large fireplace at the corner and saw Blaise standing there with Draco, both with a Butterbeer in their hands while the two laughed at something unknown to her. As one, the two of them stopped laughing and turned their heads toward the direction where she was standing with the Trio. She caught a glimpse of a smile from them before Draco patted Blaise's shoulder before taking a handful of Floo powder from the pot on the mantelpiece. With a last look over his shoulder towards her, the Head Boy threw the green powder into the roaring fire before disappearing into the whirling green flames.

"Want to get a Butterbeer first before you go?" Ron asked when she turned her attention back to her friends.

"No thanks. I get sick easily from Flooing,"

She said her goodbyes to the three Gryffindors after asking if they wanted anything from Diagon Alley ( Nothing, they said) and headed towards Blaise who was waiting patiently for her by the fireplace. He nodded to the three who were watching him before offering his hand to Anya, remembering how she had reacted after Flooing to the Diagon Alley from the trip before she came to Hogwarts. Slightly wary, she eyed the offering before taking it with a soft thanks. She felt his eyes on her face but she ignored it until he finally threw down the handful of green powder into the fire.

"Diagon Alley,"

When Anya felt the warm tingling sensation of the flames tickling her legs, she closed her eyes and grip Blaise's hand before letting the Slytherin take her to their destination. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was in the Leaky Cauldron and before she could take another look, Blaise pulled her out of the establishment, heading towards the door that led to the Diagon Alley.

"Where are we going?"

"Shopping,"

Few minutes later, the two of them entered an exclusive boutique that had a moving mannequin at the display window, showing off that season's witches' robes. In it, Blaise led her to a sitting room where she saw three people were waiting.

"Anya. How are you?"

Bianca Zabini swooped up to her and gave both of her cheeks a kiss before hugging her, instantly surrounding her with the scent of cinnamon. The beautiful witch let her dark blue eyes roved over the girl before smiling approvingly.

"You look well. Don't you agree, Narcissa?"

Narcissa Malfoy looked regal in her ice-blue robes, the exact colour of her eyes as she stood beside her close friend. She nodded her blonde head before reaching out a hand to touch Anya's cheek, a soft look on her face.

"Yes, she does. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"Great," With that, the blonde took the younger witch into her arms for a warm hug and after a moment, pulled away and smiled at Bianca and Anya.

"Well, we should start on that dress of yours already if we want to get you back at Hogwarts before dinner."

"Oh yes. Why don't you boys go and get your dress robes fitted. Madame Elsa's assistant will help you,"

Bianca waved a perfectly manicured hand towards the door, clearly dismissing the two males from their girls' only session. Neither Slytherin could move fast enough closing the door behind them with apparent relief. They had escaped. Unscathed.

"Mr. Malfoy? Mr. Zabini?"

A redhead appeared in front of them with a clipboard in hand and a measuring tape draped over her shoulders. Groaning inwardly, Blaise nodded, knowing what was in store for them. It was like when they both were seven and had to get their first ever pair of dress robes made for a wedding. Torture. Diagon Alley's hell for the men of the aristocrat of the wizarding world.

"Follow me please. You need to be measured,"

* * *

It was a bit fascinating to watch. The process of being measured in the magical way. Standing in the middle of a raised platform, Anya was subjected to being measured by Madame Elsa's wand, a baby blue feather following the witch while jotting down the numbers its owner muttered under her breath. A giggle escaped her lips when the older woman traced the curves of her upper body with the tip of her wand.

"Sorry, ticklish,"

"What colour do you want, Anya?"

Narcissa asked from her place on the sofa where she sat and watched the measuring process while nibbling on a buttered scone. Beside her, Bianca was perusing a fashion magazine, her dark blue eyes lighting up with interest every once in a while.

"Nothing too bright or dark. Cream, maybe?"

Narcissa tilted her head to the side, her blond hair brushing against her eyes.

"Isn't that too plain? What do you think, Madame Elsa?"

"We can add some glitter to the cloth in a design or pattern and it will be elegant."

Narcissa considered the woman's words before nodding. At that, Madame Elsa clapped her hands and a house elf appeared beside her. A few whispered words later, the house elf disappeared and came back a few seconds later with a few rolls of cream coloured cloth.

"Do you want the dress to be short or long, dear?" Madame Elsa asked.

"Urm..."

"Sleeveless or puff sleeves?"

"Well..."

"How low do you want the neckline?"

"Well, not too low but...'

Sensing that Anya is slightly overwhelmed, Bianca asked Madame Elsa whether she could give the three of them some time alone for a moment. Nodding her head in a professional manner, Madame Elsa left the room with the house elf in tow, leaving Bianca, Anya and Narcissa with the rolls of cloth. Bianca set down the magazine in her hand and beckoned for Anya to take a seat beside her.

"I sense you have something on your mind, Anya," Bianca said when the girl had settled herself comfortably on the sofa.

"I don't think I will be able to wear the dress for the Ball,"

"Why is that so, dear?" A tiny frown appeared between Bianca's eyebrows.

"I can't have all of that skin exposed!"

At that, Narcissa took Anya's bare right hand and pulled back the sleeve of the sweater she was wearing. The tattoo of the dragon was looking at them, its majestic black wings poised for flight while its head was tilted inquisitively to the side. Bianca looked at the mark on the wrist with interest before raising her eyes to Narcissa.

"Is that it?"

"Yes. Draco's mark. As you know, my son is a very possessive person, a true Malfoy as my husband would say,"

"And that's why I can't have any of my skin exposed. People will get hurt,"

"Hmm, let me think about this for awhile,"

A look of concentration appeared on Bianca's face and Anya saw just how alike in appearance the mother and son were. She watched as Bianca tapped her finger against her thigh until it stopped suddenly.

"Do you remember the time that horrendous Count something was trying to woo me, Narcissa?"

"The man with the fake accent and fake teeth?"

"The one and only."

"Yes, I do. Why?"

"Remember how I countered that problem?"

Understanding dawned on Narcissa's face.

"Are you saying that we can use that method for Anya's situation?"

Bianca shrugged her shoulders in an elegant manner that probably took years of practise.

"I'm sure we can. Just have to change some of the properties and voila!"

"You won't be hurting any of the guys dancing with you that night!"

All through their conversation, Anya kept looking back and forth between the blonde and brunette, wondering the whole time what they were talking about and decided that the two women can be quite cunning when the desire comes.

"Really? How?"

Narcissa smiled. She laid a hand on Anya's, her fingertips caressing the dragon softly making the dragon nearly purring in contentment.

"You'll just wait. All you have to know that on the night of the Ball, you won't have the worry of hurting anyone. And I'll tell my son about this so you don't have to worry about him as well,"

"Shall I call Madame Elsa back?"

"You do that Bianca, we have a dress to design,"

"The dress will be owled to you on Saturday," Madame Elsa told Anya two hours later. The four women had spend the two hours choosing the cloth and design in between gossips and laughters. The youngest of them thought that the time at the boutique was coming to an end until the designer turned to Narcissa and Bianca, asking them whether they would like to get some new robes made to which the two witches quickly agreed.

Thankfully, they noticed the look on Anya's face and a few moments later, Anya was being led to the other sitting room where Draco and Blaise has being fitted for their dress robes by a house-elf. The elf knocked on the door and pushed open the door to let Anya in.

It seems that the two of them had their business done already as they were lounging on the armchairs while playing Exploding Snap. They both looked up when she entered and something on their faces told her that they knew that she knew. Blaise straightened in his chair while Draco continued sitting in the same manner when the door closed behind her.

"You're done?" The blond asked.

"Yeah but your mothers are getting new dress robes,"

A unison groan from the two best friends brought a smile to Anya's face and the thought of how similar in certain ways the two of them were. But a moment later, the train of thought took an unexpected turn and headed towards Ernie MacMillan. She took a seat on another armchair, twisting her hands together as she wondered how to approach the subject.

"Where are your gloves?" Draco asked, his eyes on her pale hands.

"I left them in the other room,"

Without another word, Draco took out his wand and his handkerchief before transfiguring the cloth into a pair of cream coloured gloves. Slowly, he got to his feet and came to her and went down on one knee in order to put the gloves on her hands. The position reminded her of the time he had put on the anklet on her in the Heads' common room.

The two of them looked at each other, ignoring Blaise who was watching them in unease. Draco's grey eyes were looking at her intently as he pulled on the gloves onto her hand, his touch warm and spine-tingling. He smelled like peppermint and a jolt of pleasure went through her body when his fingertip touched the mark on her wrist. The sound of a throat being cleared brought her out of her trance.

"Thank you,"

Draco patted her cheek before sitting back on the previously vacated chair. A look was exchanged between him and his friend that didn't went unnoticed by the only female in the room.

"I see the two of you have made amends,"

Blaise cleared his throat.

"Yeah, we did. I kept to my promise, didn't I?"

His dark blue eyes were looking at her with the same intensity when he had made the promise to her.

"You did. How ?"

Blaise exchanged an uneasy look with Draco before clearing his throat.

"It started with..."

* * *

"I'm going to see what the boys and Anya are doing,"

Bianca got down from the raised platform after Madame Elsa had taken her measurements for the new pair of dress robes.

"But before you do that, would you mind telling which colour is better on me?" Narcissa asked while she held up a peach coloured dress robes in one hand with an emerald green one in the other. Bianca took a look at both of them before indicating the peach one.

"Try that one. You don't have one in that colour yet,"

"Thank you,"

Those words followed Bianca out the door as she made her way towards the other sitting room where she knew her son and his two friends were. The door was a beige coloured one with a shiny doorknob and she raised a fist to knock on the wooden surface when she heard a voice filled with anger, slightly muffled. Curiosity peaked, Bianca pulled out her wand and muttered a spell that will enable her to hear every word with crystal clear clarity.

"Whatever possessed the two of you to do that?!"

"He was badmouthing you in front of the majority of the seventh year just because you turned him down!"

"You should be thankful that I was holding Blaise back. If I didn't, he would had attack the idiot in front of everyone,"

"In front of potential witnesses you mean!"

"Potter was doing fine already at that moment. You got yourself quite a hero there. Want to explain that?"

"Do not change the subject Draco Malfoy,"

"But we didn't really hurt him. We healed some of his bruises and made sure Snape and Potter found him,"

"Why did you even bother to heal him if you were the ones that had attacked him on the first place?"

Silence.

A sigh.

"It was only supposed to be a warning. To tell him that he had better kept his mouth shut,"

"And to learn to respect you,"

"Was he looking out for you guys this morning, after he apologised to me?"

"Yeah, we told him to do that,"

"You guys did all of that and risked expulsion because of me?"

"Well, not to the extent of being exp-"

"Shut up Draco and let the girl talk,"

"Was it all because of me?"

"Yes. And if that makes you mad, we're sorry. Aren't we, Draco?"

"Yeah, whatever Blaise said but the jerk deserved it,"

Then there was an unnerving silence and Bianca strained to listen when she heard the sound of sniffles. And the sniffles turned to the sounds of a girl crying. There were sounds of footsteps and words that were too soft to be heard but Bianca was wise enough to make her own deduction.

_It seems that Narcissa and I need to have a talk after sending the kids back_, Bianca thought as she traced back her steps to the first drawing room.

* * *

Meanwhile...

The scent of green apple evaded his senses as he held a crying Anya in his arms. Perplexed, he exchanged a look with his best friend over the girl's shoulder but the youth merely shrugged his shoulders with a she's-in-your-arms-therefore-is-your-responsibility look. Sighing inwardly, Draco cupped the girl's face in his hands and made those dark eyes look at him.

No words were exchanged between the two of them but a lot was said in the few moments of silence, leaving Blaise as an awkward spectator. After a while, Anya once again buried her face in the blond's chest but this time, the sobs had subsided considerably. This time, Draco gave Blaise a smug look before a slight muffling distracted him. An eyebrow raised, Draco looked down at the dark head with amusement.

"Mind repeating that?"

Anya pulled away, conscious of the arms around her waist and the gaze belonging to the wizard standing behind her. Her dark eyes looked up at a pair of grey eyes before she repeated her words softly.

"Thank you"

It was said so softly but the two wizards heard those two words clearly. Crystal clear in fact. Draco managed to hide the satisfied grin from Anya but Blaise however, was showing off his pearly whites with the wide grin. Which quickly disappeared when Anya pulled herself out of Draco's arms and turned to him.

"No one had ever done something like that for me,"

"Defending your honour, you mean?" Blaise said, a smile on his lips.

Anya shrugged, bringing a hand up to wipe away the remains of her tears.

"If that's what you call beating up someone just because he said some things about me,"

"Well, just imagine the two of us as your shining knights in armour,"

That got a smile from her and for a moment, Blaise forgot about the fight he had with Draco. The fight they had just resolved few days before. Shaking his head mentally, Blaise realised that Anya was saying something to Draco.

"Somehow, I appreciate what you did for me but I can't let anyone else get hurt because of me. I'm already a walking danger myself!"

"So, you're saying..."

"Let's just say that both your mothers told me that they'll be very happy if I talk to them about any problems I'm having,"

The tone of her voice told both Slytherins what she was not saying. Anymore of attacking unsuspecting wizards in darkened hallways and Narcissa Malfoy and Bianca Zabini will hear from it. And hell hath no fury like the two mothers scorned; both wizards knew that from their own personal experience. It was a very Slytherin move, one right out of the Slytherin Handbook. Rule No.14: Resort to threatening of informing one's mother about one's antics.

But as the three of them were sitting together for lunch in one of the restaurants in Diagon Alley, Blaise knew that Anya knew that what they had done was because they care about her and she had finally realised that she had two people who care enough for her to physically assault someone.

**A/N:What do you think? Review please. Thanks.**

**fahanizhieliq**


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